Milan Expo heralds 'extraordinary year' for tourism, minister says

(ANSA) - Milan, April 20 - Milan Expo 2015 is Italy's chance to "give the millions of people who will come a reason to appreciate Italy and to return," said Italian Minister for Tourism and Cultural Heritage, Dario Franceschini, on Monday.
    "2015 will be an extraordinary year: we're starting the year with Expo and the year after will be a Jubilee year," Franceschini said, referring to the Catholic Church's "Year of Mercy" announced by Pope Francis in March to take place from December 8, 2015 to November 20, 2016. Meanwhile, at Milan's Malpensa airport, Transport Minister Graziano Delrio on Monday reinforced the "can-do" spirit that is becoming something of a rallying cry in the final days leading up to Expo's inauguration on May 1, following corruption investigations, various technical and construction delays, and the skepticism naysayers who insist that Expo won't be ready on time.
    "We can't fail, we've put forth so much effort, so that the country, through Expo, can experience an opportunity to relaunch itself from the point of view of image," Delrio said.
    "It should be neither the country of viaducts that collapse nor the country of scandals, but the country that accepts the challenge of great works for the future," he said.