Rome, 10th January 2023

The concept of Beauty contains a code of values that distinguishes the identity of the Country. It comes from nature and the landscape, from culture and knowledge, from traditions and innovation. It is expressed in the most different forms, made by the peculiarity of each single territory.

Beauty is a strategic resource that is not limited to itself on the contrary it continues to add Value, searching a precise international positioning.

Italy is recognized for a continuous aesthetic research that envelops art, landscape, monuments, and also the design industry. This fame, its beauty, reflects positively on the country’s economy and GDP (according to a 2022 survey conducted by Ifis Bank, the Economy of beauty, adding up all sectors, represents about 24% of the Italian GDP).

Therefore, a land that develops Beauty, creates both economic and social Value. As such, it is able to create opportunities, propelling the growth of a Country, generating interest, tourist flows and bringing in investments.

The energy of Zambia

The Zambian Government is implementing synergies with private investors for a highly ambitious energy conversion plan at a time when energy is the core of global geopolitics.

According to the multinational consulting firm Kearney, the investments allocated for the next twenty years should reflect the shifting priorities and development needs. Approximately 30% of the resources will be assigned to the distribution of electricity required by expanding urbanization. In order to overcome the challenges, the government has called for the collaboration of the private sector.

With three power plants along the course of the Zambezi, the Victoria Falls are a crucial asset for the nation in terms of electricity generation and as a tourist destination. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in all of Africa and a UNESCO heritage site due to the breathtaking views and natural treasures, including its two National Parks.

Uruguay and Agri-food

Agri-food is the jewel in the crown of many other countries, such as Uruguay. In contrast to its population of 3.5 million, the little republic nestled between Brazil and Argentina has enough food output to sustain up to a possible 50 million people, according to the export promotion organization Uruguay XXI.
Uruguay has become a leader in the agri-food supply chain due to its commitment to high-quality food, and it has gained access to markets in Europe, the United States, and Asia.

Uruguay, a politically secure, progressive, and culturally rich country, gives visitors experiences that go beyond simple tourism, such as a mate in the metropolitan metropolis Montevideo or the gaucho‘s seasonal transhumance.

Honduras and “L’isola dei famosi” (Survivor)

The biodiversity of the Caribbean and Central America plays a significant role in the world’s food supply. The CGIAR, or Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research, has started attempts to increase sustainability and competitiveness in the area despite the terrible effects of the pandemic and climate crisis. Honduras is one of the nations that has put these measures into effect, and it can rely on the collaboration of government, the private sector, civil society, partners and international funders.

Yet L’Isola dei Famosi (Survivor) has mostly been responsible for reviving tourism in this Country in recent years. The Italian version of this well-known TV show has long been broadcasted from Cayos Cochinos, a little archipelago off the Atlantic coast of Honduras. It truly is an unspoiled tropical paradise which has been designated as Marine Natural Monument. Roatan is the major island which lies only a few kilometers from West Bay Beach, which is ranked among the top ten beaches in the world.

Film Tourism

In this regard, special attention should be paid to film tourism. Films and TV series that make the most of the scenic or architectural beauty of a place are increasingly attracting audiences to Locations made famous by major film successes.

The reality of film tourism, which began in the 1990s, has solidified over time. Because of the potential return in terms of image and tourists, this has led to a new strategy in both the selection of filming locations by producers and the tourism attractions provided by destinations. Up to 80 million individuals are estimated to have chosen this type of tourism in the year prior to the pandemic, as opposed to about 40 million in 2015. According to the website championtraveler.com, a film may typically boost travel and business by more than 30%.

In the United Kingdom, the Harry Potter series has more than doubled the number of tourists visiting Alnwick Castle, but there are many examples all over the world. Forbes reports that a classic like The Lord of the Rings, filmed in New Zealand, resulted in a $27 million a year increase in revenue. Among the tourists surveyed, 1% visited New Zealand specifically for the film, 6% went also due to the film, while 80% were aware that the saga was filmed there.

From K-pop to K-culture

Undoubtedly, South Korea is one nation that is leveraging the full potential of both entertainment and culture soft power. These are not random outcomes but the consequence of the Seoul government’s targeted investments. Following the early 1990s economic crisis, South Korea placed a significant focus on culture, and particularly popular culture, by establishing a new department inside the ministry.

South Korean films and TV series (K-drama), have brought people to deepen the knowledge of a culture (K-culture) long perceived as distant from the West. It has gone well beyond just K-pop, the Korean pop music represented by the boy band BTS, which has taken the international market by storm. In 2020, Parasite was the first Oscar for the Best Film won by a non-US film. The following year, Netflix launched Squid Game, a TV series that had got shelved for about ten years but has achieved a resounding (and probably unexpected) success.

Each Country has an Unique Beauty that is just waiting to be enhanced

Each Country has its own unique Beauty, and therefore, inimitable. This Beauty, be it cultural, entrepreneurial or landscape, becomes an all-round asset, essential for building its own narrative and triggering a virtuous and sustainable economic development.

Easy Diplomacy’s Mission is to «Restart from that Beauty». Through concrete proposals, we can boost the economy of a country by focusing on its Uniqueness gaining economic and social development of the territories.

“Beauty will save the world (Fëdor Dostoevskij)”