Two numbers demonstrate Milan’s growth in cultural tourism. Within a few days of its opening, the new Museo del Novecento welcomed 200,000 visitors.

The exhibition dedicated to Titian in Palazzo Marino was an extraordinary success: 190,000 visitors. Milan’s cultural offerings are broad and of the highest quality. Last year we also opened the Museo del Costume e della Moda (Museum of Costume and Fashion) in the 18th century Palazzo Morando in via Sant’Andrea, one of the most stylish areas of the city, in the heart of the “Quadrilatero della Moda”.

This year we will open the new Archaeological Museum, doubling the former space and carrying out the ambitious plan of improving the Roman Mediolanum in one of the most attractive areas of the entire city, full of relics of the past.

Promoting culture, tourism and internationalization is one way of preparing ourselves to host the Universal Exhibition scheduled for 2015. The economic impact of the Expo – according to research by the Università Bocconi – will be highly positive. We expect an increase in production in the Italian economy, determined by the Expo, of more than 69 billion euros, corresponding to an increase in value added of approximately 29 billion euros.

All of this growth can be attributed to five primary factors: the new facilities, the management of the event, the participation of various countries, the anticipated increase in tourism (which accounts for 16.5% of the predicted growth), and direct foreign investments.

The Expo also will generate jobs: the increase in employment is likely to equal an annual average of 61,000 people.

These forecasts give us reason to be optimistic. We are working to make them real and even better.

- LETIZIA MORATTI

Mayor of Milan