Venice in the future. Marco Vidal, The Merchant of Venice

A proactive and connected city projected towards an effective and efficient future: the vision of entrepreneur Marco Vidal of The Merchant of Venice for #RewritingTheFuture of Venice

#RewritingTheFuture is a project by Venezia da Vivere together with the Associazione Piazza San Marco. We are interviewing contemporary art curators, museum directors, university rectors and professors, hoteliers, event organizers, and citizens who live and work in Venice. An evolving debate, open to the public to bring forth an idea of a city balanced between the environment, entrepreneurship, and its civitas. With us today is Marco Vidal of The Merchant of Venice, representing the ancient and noble Venetian art of perfumery.

VDV: How do you imagine Venice in the future?

I envision a Venice of the future that is connected to the world and, at the same time, the perfect location for citizens and businesses. I hope this city can present itself as a place offering a quality of life that is unique in the world thanks to its inherent distinguishing elements: the extraordinary environment from both an artistic and naturalistic perspective, and the urban dimension that allows for a perfect expression of social interaction. These must be accompanied by innovation in transport and connectivity, as well as the use of new technologies that allow for a working life compatible with the needs of modern man.

The Venice of the future must be able to balance and make tourism compatible with residential life.

VDV: What can politics and citizens do for a rebirth of Venice?

It is essential to provide Venice with a Special Statute that takes its specificity into account. In this sense, it would be important for a “Venice Project” to emerge from the best expression of Civil Society to be presented to national and international institutions, allowing the city to have the autonomy and political powers indispensable for its realization.

VDV: Propose a specific idea in at least one of these areas: environment, housing, work, culture, security, tourism.

The theme of work is essential for planning a new Venice and moving beyond the tourism monoculture. It is crucial to design a modern and ecological transport system that allows those living in Venice to quickly reach an economic territory rich in jobs and opportunities, such as the PaTreVe area and Venice Airport, which is already a top-tier international hub.

If we can provide the opportunity to live in a city as unique as Venice and reach a wide pool of jobs within half an hour, we can project this city into a modern and diversified economy.

Marco Vidal, The Merchant of Venice, Sales Director of Mavive SPA.