Ferrovie dello Stato, ENIT, Italien / Italy

The first railway lines in Italy were built and operated by private, often foreign companies. After the unification of Italy in 1870, the Italian state began to combine the individual railway lines into a national network. The Ferrovie dello Stato (State Railways) were finally founded in 1905 and began to advertise their destinations with poster campaigns. All over Italy, potential travellers could soon see big, beautiful pictures of magical, faraway cities and sights in their own country that were now an affordable train ride away. After the First World War, Italy sought to attract more foreign travellers to strengthen its tourism industry. A government tourist board, ENIT (Ente Nazionale per le Industrie Turistiche), was established in 1919 to promote travel to and within Italy. Its logo appears alongside that of the Ferrovie dello Stato on many posters. In 1931, ENIT came under the direct control of Mussolini and the travel posters became a propaganda tool of the fascist regime. After the Second World War, the Italian tourist industry had to be rebuilt and the state railways spent seven years repairing the rail network. Post-war travel posters celebrated a new joie de vivre with images of smiling people enjoying a relaxed holiday on sunny beaches or exciting rides on the snowy slopes of ski resorts.