A Japanese couple charged 580 Euros for lunch in Rome have been invited back to Italy by its Tourism Minister at the expense of the Italian government.

This is the first salvo in what Michela Vittoria Brambilla, an ex-show girl and a close friend of Berlusconi's, hopes will be a campaign to win back the hearts and minds of Japanese tourists.

It seems that, increasingly, the perception of Italy in Japan has been deteriorating with Japanese wary of Italian taxi drivers and restauranteurs taking advantage of them with exorbitant prices.

Brambilla wrote an open letter stating that a holiday in Italy is an experience that one carries forever in their memories and that the Italian government is determined to guarantee to everyone the best possible experience.

While we are aware that some do take advantage we also believe this is a small minority and the fear of being treated unfairly should not be a concern for people visiting Italy.

What experiences have you had?