San Marino has secured funding from the European Travel Commission to promote itself on the Brazilian market. The Secretariat of State for Tourism has won access to the “Unlock an Unexpected Upgrade” call, which involves a joint project with Emilia-Romagna.
The agreement was signed by the Secretary of State for Tourism, Federico Pedini Amati, and the general director of Apt Servizi, Emanuele Burioni, under the coordination of the European Travel Commission (ETC), whose chief executive Eduardo Santander co-signed the deal.
“The initiative is part of the ETC’s promotional activities aimed at boosting awareness and appeal of European destinations in markets far from the continent,” the statement reads. The funding includes a minimum contribution from strategic partners alongside a non-repayable grant from the European organisation.
Promotion will focus on digital channels and on identifying potential visitors.
“The promotional package includes the creation of tailored advertising content, the planning of digital destination advertising, and audience identification and profiling activities for a joint promotional campaign on the Brazilian market, shared with Emilia-Romagna under a project coordinated by the ETC,” the note explains.
The project also included San Marino’s participation in Europe Connect 2026 in Brazil, an event dedicated to fostering relations between European suppliers and Brazilian tourism operators. The gathering hosted professional meetings with hotel chains, tourism service management companies and promotional bodies. San Marino was represented by honorary consul Mario Antonio Turnaturi.
Pedini Amati commented: “This latest admission of San Marino to a European Travel Commission funding scheme is an important achievement, confirming the ability of the Secretariat of State for Tourism to seize the opportunities offered by European programmes to strengthen our international tourism promotion.
This result is part of a growing focus on funding opportunities and international cooperation that the Secretariat of State for Tourism is pursuing, with the aim of expanding the resources available for promoting Titano while also enhancing collaboration with neighbouring regions and European bodies in the sector.
Participation in ‘Unlock an Unexpected Upgrade’, together with San Marino’s presence at Europe Connect 2026 in Brazil, shows how important it is to combine traditional promotion with new digital strategies, targeted actions and direct relationships with operators in international markets.
I thank the European Travel Commission for this opportunity and Emilia-Romagna for its collaboration.
We will keep working to ensure San Marino has an ever-greater presence in international tourism circuits, with promotion capable of reaching new audiences, generating interest and turning visibility into concrete development opportunities for our economic and tourism system.”
