L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 8 THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2024 L'Italo-Americano T h e r e g i o n o f Molise, nestled b e t w e e n t h e A d r i a t i c S e a , P u g l i a , C a m p a - nia, Abruzzo, and Lazio, has already embraced Turismo delle Radici, the key lifeline of 2024 Italian tourism, as proposed and endorsed by t h e F a r n e s i n a . A n d i t c o u l d n ' t b e o t h e r w i s e because Molise is a migrants' land through and through, with all the beauty and pain that comes with it. Molise is a region rich in history, culture, and breath- taking landscapes, yet, it has been facing depopulation a n d l i t t l e a t t e n t i o n f r o m tourists for quite a long time: d a t a s h o w t h a t r e s i d e n t s decreased by one-quarter between 1951 and 2019, with people moving both to other areas of Italy and abroad, including the US. It's not a case that the region has been one of the first to welcome the Homes at 1 Euro trend and, in the past years, has even offered money (around 800 USD a month — not a fortune, but a good top-up of y o u r o w n s a l a r y i f y o u m o v e d t h e r e a n d w o r k e d remotely) to tempt profes- sionals to relocate. M o l i s e i s a l s o a v e r y young region. In fact, it is the youngest of Italy: offi- c i a l l y e s t a b l i s h e d a s a n a u t o n o m o u s t e r r i t o r y o n December 17, 1963, through Law No. 1017, before this it was part of the larger region of Abruzzi e Molise, created in 1948. It is also the second- smallest region in the coun- try, after Valle d'Aosta. Young, small, and depop- ulated, it's not surprising that locals gave it the sarcas- tic moniker of "the region that doesn't exist" or "the invisible region." Because w h i l e M o l i s e i s h o m e t o some beautiful towns and villages, they are often over- shadowed by the popularity of better-known locales in nearby Lazio, Abruzzo, Cam- pania, or Puglia. Plus, Molise has never been at the heart o f p o l i t i c a l d e l i b e r a t i o n s concerning Italian regional dynamics, and its cultural and environmental endow- ments remain comparatively o b s c u r e v i s - à - v i s o t h e r regions. All these factors led to the w r o n g f u l p e r c e p t i o n t h a t Molise is an entity lacking substantial presence or sig- nificance, perpetuating its epithet as "the region that d o e s n ' t e x i s t " i n p o p u l a r consciousness. B u t n o t h i n g i s f u r t h e r from the truth. Molise has a fascinating and rich past, with evidence of human settlement dating back to prehistoric times; the land was once inhabited b y t h e S a m n i t e s , w h o rivaled Rome and left behind impressive archaeological sites. Over the centuries, it has been influenced by vari- ous civilizations, including the Romans, Lombards, and Normans; it became part of the Kingdom of Naples in the 15th century and later joined the Kingdom of Italy i n t h e 1 9 t h c e n t u r y . T h e region's rich history is well visible today in its charming medieval villages, historic towns, and archaeological sites, and visitors are wel- come in picturesque sites like the medieval village of Agnone, famous for its tra- ditional craftsmanship of bells, and the town of Cam- pobasso, with its scenic old center and majestic Castello Monforte. Molise's natural beauty is e q u a l l y i m p r e s s i v e , w i t h diverse landscapes ranging from rugged mountains to r o l l i n g h i l l s a n d p r i s t i n e c o a s t l i n e . T h e r e g i o n i s home to parks and nature r e s e r v e s , i n c l u d i n g t h e Abruzzo National Park, all offering opportunities for outdoor activities like hik- ing, wildlife viewing, and relaxation. And of course, h o w c a n w e f o r g e t f o o d ? With its hearty and delicious dishes, Molise is all about local ingredients and rural t r a d i t i o n s . C a c i o c a v a l l o molisano, agnello cacio e ova, and pasta e fagioli are only some of the delicacies the region has to offer to its visitors. So, it is good and heart- warming to learn that Conf- commercio Molise and C o n f t u r i s m o e n v i s a g e incredibly positive outcomes t h i s y e a r f o r m o r e t h a n 3,000 tourism-related busi- n e s s e s , e m p l o y i n g o v e r 10,000 people. And it's all connected to Root Tourism, a s i t e m e r g e d i n a r e c e n t e v e n t h e l d i n M o l i s e ' s r e g i o n a l c a p i t a l , C a m - pobasso, Dall'Anno delle Radici al Prodotto per i Tur- isti delle Radici ("From the Year or Roots, to the Product for Root Tourists"). During the event, key insights were shared about the future of tourism in the region, high- lighting its potential, espe- cially in the context of Roots Tourism. The meeting featured con- t r i b u t i o n s f r o m A l b e r t o C o r t i o f C o n f c o m m e r c i o a n d o t h e r e x p e r t s i n t h e tourism and hospitality sec- t o r . A l l u n d e r l i n e d t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f t h i s y e a r ' s focus on "return tourism" a n d t h e c e n t r a l r o l e o f M o l i s e i n i t . C o r t i , f o r instance, discussed its signif- icant economic potential, e m p h a s i z i n g t h e u n i q u e opportunity for Molise to leverage its connections with Molisans worldwide: "This flow, as we've calculated, holds a potential value of 8.5 billion euros annually," he asserted. "When we translate this scale to Molise, it repre- sents an opportunity ripe for the taking. The ratio, purely in numbers, between Molise residents and Molisan scat- tered worldwide, is astound- ing. Equally remarkable is not just the ratio in terms of thoughts or passions, but also the commercial poten- tial for this vast community eager to return. Molise truly stands at the forefront of this o p p o r t u n i t y , a n d i t ' s n o c o i n c i d e n c e t h a t w e ' r e launching our efforts from Campobasso." C o n f c o m m e r c i o , t h e l e a d i n g I t a l i a n b u s i n e s s association representing and supporting the interests of companies operating in the c o m m e r c e , s e r v i c e s , a n d tourism sectors, is at the forefront of many initiatives related to Roots Tourism in Molise, as mirrored by the presence and words of the President of Confcommercio Molise Angelo Angiolilli, and of its Director, Irene Tartaglia. Speaking during the event, Angiolilli under- lined how the gathering held "great importance for us as it provides valuable insight into the reality we can lever- age to cultivate experiential tourism in Molise. Our goal is to foster and enrich the emotional and cultural con- nections that allow visitors to rediscover our region for its warm hospitality and, naturally, its delectable cui- s i n e . " T a r t a g l i a f o l l o w e d suit, saying that the aim, this y e a r , i s " n o t o n l y b o l s t e r l o c a l b u s i n e s s e s b u t a l s o forge stronger ties within the wider tourism sector." Molise, this little-known, somehow neglected region, is beautiful and eager to wel- c o m e t h e w o r l d . T i m e t o pack your bags and check it f o r y o u r s e l f . Y o u n e v e r know, you may even fall in love. Termoli, the fishing village and the Swabian Castle (Photo: Luigi Bertello/Dreamstime) Molise is ready to welcome "roots tourists"! CHIARA D'ALESSIO Agnone, the Marinelli Pontifical Bell Foundry (Photo: Sergio Feola/Dreamstime) ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES

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