L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 8 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021 L'Italo-Americano T he past year or so has been less t h a n k i n d t o I t a l y , t o t h e w o r l d . F o r a c o u n t r y s o d e p e n d e n t o n tourism (GDP market share of 13%), the question looms: how will the industry sur- vive? While the answer is not simple, it's assuredly posi- tive: Italian innovation and creativity will find the way to pick up, dust off, and s e t b a c k i n t o m o t i o n a vibrant tourism economy. The struggle isn't new. A g r a p h d e p i c t i n g I t a l i a n tourism trends would mimic a roller coaster. Worldwide e c o n o m i c c y c l e s h a v e always had their influence on travel, but emigration trends of Italy's young and educated over the past forty years have added insult to injury with greatest negative effects on small towns and villages. W i t h n o t m u c h f l a s h t o attract tourists, along with lacking the lifeblood of young families, a disproportionate number of these quaint com- munities have been crum- bling into nothing but sweet memories. It was the late 1970s when a s e r i e s o f s e v e r e e a r t h - quakes devastated already struggling small towns in Carnia, a region of Friuli Venezia-Giulia. Several years later, a young tourism marketing consultant by the n a m e o f G i a n c a r l o Dall'Ara was tasked with devising a plan for rehabili- tating the area, both physi- c a l l y a n d e c o n o m i c a l l y . A c u t e l y t u n e d i n t o t h e already-existing treasures of tradition and culture in these villages, Dall'Ara came up with a novel concept: take what's old and make it new again. Rather than demolish and rebuild, why not recon- struct existing dwellings into g u e s t r o o m s s c a t t e r e d amongst the heart of the vil- l a g e , s p o k e s t o a h u b o f shared community space for gathering and dining. Guests would bolster the local econ- omy while relishing the expe- rience of village life. Dall'Ara c h r i s t e n e d h i s c o n c e p t Alberghi Diffusi, literally scattered hotels. The vision wasn't limited t o m e r e l y r e s u s c i t a t i n g empty buildings and hoping tourists would show up to fill the rooms, but a broader idea o f c r e a t i n g a c o m m u n i t y within a community, with two-sided benefits. Dall'Ara's a l b e r g h i d i f f u s i m o d e l facilitated the opportunity for visitors to become tempo- rary "locals," to fall into the rhythms of daily rural Italian life. On the flipside, money would flow into dying vil- lages, new jobs and business- es could open, villages might become sustainably repopu- lated, and townsfolk would be an integral part of the m o d e l , i n t e r a c t i n g w i t h guests who become interim neighbors. Now a professor of mar- k e t i n g , D a l l ' A r a c a l l s h i s model a "driver of develop- ment." Centuries old archi- tecture is restored reusing as much original material as possible; local producers and r e s i d e n t s a r e i n v o l v e d i n sourcing food and providing services; traditions and local c u l t u r e a r e s h a r e d a n d appreciated – the epitome of slow, authentic travel. "It e n c o u r a g e s a n e x c h a n g e between travelers who want to learn about a territory, and locals who open their doors to share their heritage a n d t r a d i t i o n , " s t a t e s Dell'Ara. "…[it] allows visi- tors to experience the most authentic, if elusive, side of Italy: daily life in its small towns." While the initial concept came about in 1982, it took some time for the alberghi diffusi model to catch on. Partly due to Italy's method of relinquishing control over tourism guidelines to indi- vidual regions and partly due to the vast nature and speci- fications of the project, the f i r s t c o m p l e t e d m o d e l o f Dall'Ara's vision didn't see fruition until 1996. To qualify as an albergo diffuso, historic architecture must be used, r e s t o r e d t o o r i g i n a l i t y . C o m m o n a r e a s s u c h a s a reception and check-in loca- tion, dining area, and com- munity gathering place -- " t h e h o t e l ' s p i a z z a " a s Dall'Ara puts it -- must be i n c l u d e d , a l l w i t h i n 2 0 0 m e t e r s o f t h e s c a t t e r e d rooms. But no worries that you'll spend the night in a glorified donkey stall; accom- modations must rank at the level of a 3-star hotel or high- er. The homogenous blend- ing of residents and guests is key to the sustainable devel- opment of these small towns, as well as crucial for the "live like a local" experience. A s t h e a l b e r g h i d i f f u s i trend began to take hold, the n e e d f o r o r g a n i z a t i o n increased in order to preserve the ideals of the movement. Italian government recogni- tion was received in 1998, and the year 2006 saw cre- a t i o n b y D a l l ' A r a o f T h e Alberghi Diffusi National Association. Part of the mission of the association includes international sup- port for other countries wish- ing to emulate the method, of which several are in process of, as well as promotion and maintenance of its ideals within Italy. To date, there a r e 1 5 0 a l b e r g h i d i f f u s i spread throughout all but three of Italy's regions – a fact that brings delight to the still very involved Dall'Ara. "It is a driving force of sus- tainable development for a small town, for a region, and for our country," he explains. No one could have predict- e d t h e c r i s i s t h r u s t u p o n Italy's tourist industry with the onset of Covid-19. The restrictions placed upon large hotels and resorts, crowded historic sites, and mass gath- erings in museums and the likes have left gaping eco- nomic holes. The alberghi diffusi concept, however, seems custom made for a pandemic without having to change a thing. Rooms are limited, guests are spread out, and rural locations offer the space only afforded in s u c h a s e t t i n g . I n f a c t , a recent small survey of own- ers reflected business boom- ing during the past year's peak season thanks to Italian tourists and those from other northern European coun- t r i e s . O p t i m i s m t h a t t h i s healthy trend will continue is only slightly dampened by recent orange and red zone g o v e r n m e n t r e s t r i c t i o n s . With tightly held hopes for t h e r e t u r n o f A m e r i c a n tourists in the summer, the future for alberghi diffusi looks even brighter. F o r t h o s e w h o w o u l d rather be welcomed as a tem- porary local in an Italian vil- lage versus check into a high- rise hotel, the association website (alberghidiffusi.it) p r o v i d e s a n i n t e r a c t i v e r e g i o n - b y - r e g i o n m a p o f locations. Reading more like a vocabulary lesson in towns you've never heard of, it's just a matter of choosing sea- side or mountaintop, castle or apartment. Perhaps not since the days of knights in shining armor have these s m a l l v i l l a g e s h a d t h e promise and protection of a healthy future, thanks to the creative vision of Giancarlo Dall'Ara and his belief in the hidden treasures of Italy's small-town destinations. "When you're hosted in an albergo diffuso, you're not just buying into an exchange of services. You're entering into a human relationship." ~ Giancarlo Dall'Ara Alberghi Diffusi can bring tourism to small, charming villages (Photo: Stefano Valeri/Dreamstime) LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE A room in one of the homes used for an Albergo Diffuso (Photo: Feverpitched/Dreamstime) Alberghi Diffusi: repurposing Italian tourism one village at a time PAULA REYNOLDS

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