Italy: Lake Como's 'fresh air' cans on sale for tourists
What's the story
Tourists visiting Italy's picturesque Lake Como can now take home a unique souvenir—canned air. Prized at $11, each can contains 400 milliliters of "100% authentic air" from the popular destination. The initiative is spearheaded by ItalyComunica, a communications company that hopes to provide tourists with a portable and original memento of their visit.
Souvenir significance
Canned air: A 'tangible memory' from Lake Como
The concept of selling canned air is to give tourists a "tangible memory" of their trip to Lake Como. Davide Abagnale, a marketing specialist who first sold Lake Como posters on the Internet, called the product "a tangible memory that you carry in your heart." The can, once opened, can be used as a pen holder.
Diverse opinions
Mixed reactions to Lake Como's canned air souvenir
The product has received mixed reactions. Como Mayor Alessandro Rapinese said while it wouldn't be his first choice for tourists, he acknowledged its novelty. "But as mayor of one of Italy's most beautiful cities, if someone wants to take some of their air home, that's fine as long as they also take beautiful memories of the area," he said.
Global trend
Canned air souvenirs: A growing trend in global tourism
However, the idea of selling canned air is not new to Italy or the world. Naples has been selling its local air for years, and in 2020, a company started selling bottles of "authentic" air from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to give UK residents overseas a scent of home. Tourists can also purchase cans of air in Iceland.