Shopping bigger draw for tourists than monuments in Italy

, July 5: Tourists to

are more interested in

than visiting the country's world-famous monuments like the Colosseum, says a new report.

Italian fashion and design was a bigger draw for tourists than culture in Rome and in other Italian cities, according to "The Federculture 2012" report.

"Fashion and design are promoted superbly - something that's wholly lacking for the nation's cultural assets," Marco Polillo, from Italy's main business lobby Confindustria, said in the report.

Italy's major monuments, museums and art galleries need to join forces and market themselves effectively to the world in the way that Italy's big fashion labels do, he said.

IANS/AKI