L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 6 NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS also created a genuine "rela- tional bridge" between Italy and the USA, enhancing and strengthening our bilateral, commercial, and touristic relationships. In recent years, there's been a burgeoning interest in I t a l y a m o n g t h e I t a l i a n - American community and others, fueled by a mosaic of c o m p e l l i n g f a c t o r s . T h i s i n c l u d e s t h e a l l u r e o f t h e Italian lifestyle, our coveted quality of life, and Italy's flourishing prestige in an array of domains—ranging from culture, fashion, and design to gastronomy, oenol- ogy, scientific research, and c u t t i n g - e d g e t e c h n o l o g y . This growing fascination has manifested in a significant surge in tourism to Italy, a notable rise in the number of students immersing them- selves in the Italian language and culture, and a marked increase in applications for Italian citizenship. The decision to designate 2024 as the year of Roots Tourism is the culmination of a journey that began last year with the launch of the "Integrated Strategy for the Revival of the Tourism Sec- tor in Post-COVID-19 Italy." This initiative, a 20 million euro project embedded in t h e N a t i o n a l P l a n f o r Resilience and Recovery and b a c k e d b y t h e E u r o p e a n Union's post-pandemic Next Generation EU plan, targets a wide array of initiatives in the tourism sector aimed at the extensive population of Italians and those of Italian descent around the globe. It is a pivotal step in rejuvenat- ing the industry after the Covid-19 downturn. T h r o u g h o u t 2 0 2 4 , t h e Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Coopera- tion is set to lead a series of initiatives focused on eco- sustainability and digitaliza- tion. These initiatives aim to rejuvenate Italy's charming villages and rural landscapes with a variety of sustainable d e v e l o p m e n t s t r a t e g i e s : restoring unused buildings and infrastructure, enhanc- ing local hospitality and gas- t r o n o m i c e x p e r i e n c e s , arranging guided tours, and promoting a range of activi- t i e s . T h e s e e f f o r t s a r e d e s i g n e d t o c u l t i v a t e a t o u r i s m e x p e r i e n c e t h a t e n r i c h e s v i s i t o r s ' u n d e r - standing of their family his- tories and Italian cultural heritage. This encompasses everything from religious and social practices to tradi- tional crafts and even the l o c a l m u s i c t h a t e c h o e s through the streets of these t o w n s . " O u r a i m , " T a j a n i asserts, "is for numerous I t a l i a n s l i v i n g a b r o a d o r those descended from Ital- ians to return and rediscover t h e p l a c e s w h e r e t h e i r g r a n d p a r e n t s o n c e l i v e d , t h e r e b y c o n v e y i n g t h e essence of Italian identity a n d d r i v i n g t o u r i s m growth." A t t h e h e a r t o f R o o t s T o u r i s m l i e s a p r o f o u n d emphasis on the preserva- tion of memory. The nar- ratives of emigration, sacri- f i c e , a n d t r i u m p h o f o u r a n c e s t o r s a c t a s g u i d i n g l i g h t s f o r I t a l i a n d e s c e n - d a n t s w o r l d w i d e . I n t h i s vein, Farnesina's General D i r e c t o r a t e f o r I t a l i a n s Abroad and Migration Poli- cies has initiated the Ital- ians Abroad, the Diaries Tell project. This project features a curated selection of poignant excerpts from accounts categorized under "emigration" at the National Diary Archive Foundation in Pieve Santo Stefano, Tus- c a n y . T h i s c o m p i l a t i o n , which includes 200 life sto- r i e s s e l e c t e d f r o m o v e r a t h o u s a n d a n d p u b l i s h e d on www.idiariraccontano.or g, brings forth select pages that have been carefully dig- itized. These stories do more than recount personal expe- riences, they elevate individ- ual life paths to documents of historical relevance. This endeavor wants to encapsu- late the collective sense of migration experiences, con- stituting the primary sub- stance of the documentary collection, alongside narra- tives of journeys and tempo- r a r y w o r k a b r o a d . I n essence, this archive stands as a rich source for Roots Tourists, offering insights even before they start their journey to Italy. M o r e o v e r , E N I T , t h e National Tourism Agency, hosts a specialized section (https://www.italia.it/it/ital ia/cosa-fare/turismo-delle- radici) dedicated to Roots Tourism. This section serves a s a n e s s e n t i a l g u i d e f o r those seeking to reconnect with their Italian heritage: it eloquently invites our global compatriots to "rediscover- ing your family history and the pride of your origins. Prepare to delve into local t r a d i t i o n s , e x c e p t i o n a l a c h i e v e m e n t s , a n c i e n t crafts, and the flavors and scents of the villages and r e g i o n s f r o m w h e r e y o u r ancestors set forth. Come and recreate your ties with Italy: you will gain a deeper understanding of your past, give a new meaning to your present, and perhaps — the message concludes — you might even decide to change your future. The journey into d i s c o v e r i n g y o u r r o o t s begins here." Deeply connected with the journey's focus on memory a n d i d e n t i t y i s i t s c l e a r t o u r i s t i c a p p e a l . D e s c e n d a n t s o f I t a l i a n s across the globe represent a valuable market for Italy. T h e y d r i v e s u s t a i n a b l e t o u r i s m a n d c r e a t e y e a r - round demand for our facili- ties. ENIT's data shows that from 2010 to 2019, over 10 million international tourists visited Italy to explore their ancestral roots, spending more than 5 billion euros. T h e s e f i g u r e s h a v e b e e n steadily increasing: in 1997, ENIT counted only 5.8 mil- l i o n p e o p l e i n t h e " R o o t s Tourist" category. By 2018, that number had jumped to 10 million, a rise of 72.5%. Job creation and eco-sus- tainability are also key bene- fits of this type of tourism: t h e s e t o u r i s t s o f t e n s e e k guides to lead them off the beaten path of popular art cities to quieter regions, fre- quently overlooked and lack- i n g e x t e n s i v e t o u r i s t s e r - vices. Yet, it's these places that hold a unique appeal for R o o t s T o u r i s t s w h o s e e k connections to their familial past. Designing tailored itin- eraries not only enhances t h e e m o t i o n a l a s p e c t o f tourism but also lets Roots Travelers research and plan their trip in advance. Shift- i n g t h e f o c u s t o R o o t s Tourism also moves tourists a w a y f r o m t h e u s u a l hotspots, bringing attention and development to lesser- known, less-developed areas. This approach helps balance e c o n o m i c g r o w t h w h i l e maintaining the sustainable, r u r a l c h a r a c t e r o f t h e s e regions. The development of small towns and countryside areas includes refurbishing old houses and infrastruc- ture and boosting local ser- vices and products, especial- l y i n f o o d a n d w i n e . A significant long-term effect i s t h a t t h e R o o t s T o u r i s t often becomes an advocate for the regions connected to their family history, starting a new chain of connections with Italy. At the heart of Roots Tourism lies a profound emphasis on the preservation of memory. The narratives of emigration, sacrifice, and triumph of our ancestors act as guiding lights for Italian descendants worldwide CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 Relaxing in Venice, while discovering your heritage (Photo: Sven Hansche/Dreamstime)

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