(Finance) – It was held today Ischiaat the Carriero Auditorium in Lacco Ameno, on Territories Forum UniCredit of the Southern Region: Tourism is the engine of development in the South. Present at the event were not only representatives of business, but also of trade associations, from tourism to agrifood, from culture to transport, with the participation of Svimez and Nomisma. An opportunity for meeting and dialogue for the entire network, with the aim of developing the tourism potential of Southern Italy.
During the Forum, the results of the three preparatory work tables, dedicated to the analysis of the dynamics of conference tourism, thematic-experiential tourism, and the structured expansion of the tourist offer present in the territory.
The Working table on conference tourismpresented by Giovanna Lucherini (Convention Bureau Naples) and Carlotta Ferrari (Convention Bureau Italy) highlighted an overall value of the sector in Italy of approximately 30 billion euros. However, only 15% of events take place in the South, a clear minority compared to the 60% of events organized in the North of the country. What clearly emerged was the need to develop a conference offer that enhances the strengths of Southern Italy, such as the favorable climate and the competitive costs of the structures, capable of overcoming the structural lack of accommodation offers in the immediate vicinity of the conference venues. Congress tourism represents an extraordinary opportunity for economic growth, with positive impacts on employment, on the promotion of science and research in the university and medical network, on the deseasonalization of flows, thanks to the organization of medium and large-sized events.
With the aim of positioning the area as a reference destination for the sector, significant proposals are made upgrades infrastructural And strategies targeted.
Among the proposed projects there is the creation of two hub specialists cutting-edge, like the Mostra D’Oltremare of Naples and the Pietrarsa Railway Museumboth realities to be valorised. In Puglia the proposal is to enhance the use of the Nuova Fiera del Levante as a structure for events, together with the design of a new sports hall in the Brindisi area.
The working table on thematic and experiential tourismhosted and presented by Sara Prontera (Nicolaus-Valtur Group), highlighted rapid growth in the sector, driven by the demand for authentic and sustainable experiences. In 2022, in fact, the segment contributed approximately 5 billion euros to the Italian GDP, with an indirect expenditure of 9 billion. The thematic routes, which include cultural, food and wine and wellness activities, represent a lever for the relaunch of the South, as happened with the inclusion of the Appian Way in the UNESCO heritage for the development of cycle tourism and archaeological trekking. Other proposals include the strengthening of the historic railway network to create routes that connect archaeological sites, villages and rural areas. A concrete example is the “Oil and Wine Tour” to enhance the food and wine and craftsmanship of the villages.
The third working table, presented and led by Marina Lalli, President of Federturismo Italia, then underlined the critical role of the development of new structures and the redevelopment of existing onesfocusing on the theme of the seasonality of tourism in the South. Currently, the South records a seasonal concentration index of 0.68 (on Max 1), higher than the national average of 0.54, a sign of strong seasonality that hinders the growth of the sector. Furthermore, over 47% of existing structures are more than 30 years old and require interventions redevelopment to reach international standards. The PNRR funds intended for tourism and culture will be fundamental for the redevelopment and modernization of infrastructure, amounting to 6.68 billion euros for the South, of which 3.1 billion exclusively for tourism.
To outline prospects for improvement, the inclusion of the tourism sector in the strategic plan of the Single SEZ in the Southo, a tool aimed at facilitating communication between key players and simplifying the authorization processes to obtain investments and redevelopments. The release and strengthening of tax credits for 2025 and the reduction of contributions for employees in the low season months will be fundamental for structures that undertake to remain open, guaranteeing a continuous and quality tourist offer.
Among them exponents institutional And industrial who took part in the round table on the role of institutions in the tourism development process in Southern Italy, Gaetano Manfredi, Mayor of the Metropolitan City of Naples, Ferdinando Natali, Regional Manager Sud UniCredit, Giosy Romano, coordinator of the ZES Unica del Mezzogiorno, Costanzo Jannotti Pecci, President of the Naples Industrial Union, and Luca Bianchi, Director of Svimez. The Forum concluded with the speech of Remo Taricani, Deputy Head of Italy of UniCredit. A discussion focused on the creation of a systemic approach that integrates all the components of the tourism sector, from hotel accommodation to cultural promotion, through the improvement of internal mobility, with railway connections and ecological shuttles, and the increase in accommodation capacity near the main tourist flows. Southern Italy has a cultural and naturalistic heritage of exceptional value, with 15 UNESCO sites and a network of 34 ports and 11 international airports. Exploiting these resources, together with incentive and retraining policies, will be able to promote a lasting economic recovery.
“UniCredit is constantly committed to supporting the tourism sector – he underlines Remo TaricaniDeputy Head of Italy of UniCredit – The UniCredit Territories Forum represents a key moment to promote dialogue and collaboration between entrepreneurs, institutions and trade associations in Southern Italy to develop strategies to support the tourism sector. We strongly believe that tourism can be a development engine for Southern Italy, and we are committed to supporting the sector with innovative financial solutions and targeted investments. UniCredit works alongside local communities to create sustainable growth opportunities, improve infrastructure and generate long-term economic and employment value. The unique SEZ of the South, by including tourism among the sectors eligible for incentives, has made investments in the sector easier and more convenient and, as UniCredit, we promote this inclusion. To date, we are considering establishing a recurring working group with Convention Bureau, Federturismo and Svimez, also open to other stakeholders, to follow up on the strategic proposals of the sector, taking advantage of the ideas that emerged in the Forum’s working groups.”