Maria Paola, Head of Destination Management at SEA Milan Airports, described a project enhancing visitor experiences at Milan Malpensa Airport while simultaneously inspiring visitors to discover new stories and perspectives about the city. AI-generated imagery provides new opportunities to visualise literary representations of the city, redefining visitor perceptions and shaping destination reputation.  

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Bridging the Gap Between Past and Future

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The 'Nice to MEET you' project, curated by the MEET Digital Culture Center and promoted by SEA Milan Airports, transforms Milan Malpensa Airport into an art and cultural exhibition that showcases the city's vibrant soul. Travel is about being inspired by history, discovering new stories, and experiencing new things.

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'Nice to MEET you' goes beyond interactive maps and augmented reality, taking an innovative approach to weaving together poetry, technology and artistic heritage to create a unique narrative experience. The project aimed to create a bridge between the tangibility of urban life and its intangible cultural essence.

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A Multi-Layered Experience: From Words to Colours

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Engaging audiovisual content that blends authentic perspectives and AI-powered artistry was displayed on a 12-metre LED wall located at "Porta di Milano", an exhibition space within Terminal 1 of Malpensa airport. This instillation greeted the airport's transit passengers, effectively displaying how airports themselves can be a strong actor in destination promotion.

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By delving into AI-generated art inspired by famous Milanese figures, five Italian artists offered diverse glimpses into the dynamic spirit of Milan, bringing literary references to life through the assistance of text-to-video generative AI models. These artists guided the AI, maximising the power of machine learning, to directly influence the final vision. Such a process is key to ensuring human oversight and the ethical use of this emerging technology.

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In the fifth iteration of the project, Mauro Martino portrayed the theme "Milan, Factory of Future":

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• Reimagining Alessandro Manzoni's 'Lombard sky' from his famous work 'The Betrothed', the mesmerising Milanese sky was displayed in its own right.
• Bruno Munari's book 'In the Fog of Milan' also inspired the project, reinterpreted through pointillism and watercolour effects to showcase the interplay of colour, trees and birds.
• Umberto Boccioni and Giacomo Balla futurist artworks were envisioned anew,  capturing the city's dynamism and its constant evolution.

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'Nice to MEET you' isn't just about showcasing Milan, it's about forging connections. The artwork is displayed internationally at special events to maximise its visibility and strengthen the city's brand positioning. For example, an upcoming event in Boston, where Bruno Munari currently lives, aims to celebrate the kinship between the two cities. This is where SEA Milan Airports plays a strong role in forming partnerships in cities with direct flight connections (or routes currently in development).
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This initiative exemplified how technology can enrich our understanding of a destination. By combining AI, art and storytelling, Milan has created a multi-layered experience that entices travellers to explore its hidden depths. While the physical installation resides at the airport, the desire is to extend the experience online.

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This type of immersive experience is a growing trend within tourism marketing. For example, Destination British Columbia installed an 8-metre wall in London and Sydney called the BC Wall of Wonder to activate its Rainforest to Rockies campaign bringing attention to the ever-changing landscapes that can be explored in the region.

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Promoting Milanese Literature

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Close collaboration between SEA Milan Airports and Milan & Partners, the city's DMO, helps to ensure aligned messaging when communicating about the destination to potential visitors. This enabled complementary messages to be shared by both organisations, jointly promoting the theme of Milanese literary locations. Inspired by the 'Navigli Poetess', Milan & Partners offers a literary itinerary that guides visitors through the Navigli neighbourhood and the locations linked to the Italian poet Alda Merini. Here are some other examples of how literature and artwork influence destination promotion and visitor experiences:

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• ‍VisitPortugal: The DMO created a travel book, based on the book 'Journey to Portugal' written by Saramago, sharing 'live backstage coverage' as part of the wider campaign. ‍
• Alternative Athens: This startup aims to combat stereotypes through guided tours that delve into the stories behind local artwork in less touristic neighbourhoods of the city.