Despite protests over Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Venice wedding, officials are celebrating the destination's economic impact and publicity.

The wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez in Venice could generate an economic impact of approximately €957.3 million, primarily due to its visibility, and "represents an event of exceptional importance for Italy and the city," according to an estimate by the Statistics Office of the Italian Ministry of Tourism published this Friday, June 27.

For the Ministry of Tourism, this event could revive the city , "especially at a time of declining tourism, as overnight stays fell by 6.7% in the first few months of 2025."

According to these estimates, "the wedding could generate a total economic impact of approximately €957.3 million, equivalent to almost 68% of the city's annual tourism revenue."

Although they specify that 93.6% of this estimate, €895.7 million, comes from the value attributed to the global media visibility generated by the event.

While direct profits, i.e., expenses for the 200 guests and rental costs, represent only 3%, or about €28.4 million, of the total.

"Bezos's wedding is a clear sign of Italy's growing importance in the international tourism landscape ," commented Italian Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè, adding that "events like this strengthen our global image, create jobs, promote our region, and attract new, qualified tourist arrivals."

And she added, "Now more than ever , we need to put the controversies behind us and focus on the opportunities . This isn't just a private event, but a concrete driver for the entire sector. Venice has all the credentials to transform it into an opportunity for relaunching and promotion," the minister added.

According to these estimates, "the wedding could generate a total economic impact of approximately €957.3 million, equivalent to almost 68% of the city's annual tourism revenue, as more than 200 guests are expected, with a significant impact on the entire hospitality and services system."

Furthermore, Santanche adds, "global media visibility also reinforces our country's position in the wedding sector, which is rapidly expanding and expects more than 600 events already scheduled by 2025. I thank Jeff Bezos and all those who choose Italy as the setting to celebrate the most important moments of their lives."

In the days since the wedding's various events have been taking place, protests have erupted over the impact on the city, with activists criticizing Bezos for being able to "rent out Venice" while his multinational Amazon avoids paying taxes in Italy.