L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 2025 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano 2 O n one hand, we celebrate major s u c c e s s e s l i k e the widespread p r o m o t i o n o f Italy's beaches through the Blue Flag awards. On the other, we face a pressing issue: over- tourism, and the urgent need to protect sites of cultural and environmental value from the kind of overcrowding that not only renders them unsustain- able, but risks destroying them entirely. Venice, the pink sand grains of the Sardinian islet of Budelli, and the famous Scala dei Turchi in Sicily are perhaps the most striking examples of the delicate balance that governs Italy's most beautiful places – gems that are not equipped to handle an excessive flow of visitors. Yet anyone who has stood in the blazing August sun waiting in line to enter the Uffizi in Florence or the Vatican Museums knows firsthand how overwhelming and difficult it is to manage large-scale tourism. Protecting Italy's landscape from overtourism is good for tourism itself From the Editor The white marl cliff that juts into the sea along the coast of Realmonte, in the province of Agrigento, is periodically tram- pled by beachgoers who ignore restrictions aimed at prevent- ing its erosion. It has become a symbol of nature's fragility. Climbing the Scala dei Turchi for a selfie, a social media post, or some senseless challenge is nothing short of disregard for its delicate beauty, a beauty that underscores just how precious such places really are. However spectacular the sea, however photogenic the landscape, not every location should be accessi- ble at all times. As tourists increasingly aware of how fragile some environmental balances are, we should be willing to "understand" – and more importantly, act – by doing our part to protect these places whenever possible. Italy's coastline has been widely recognized for its environ- mental quality and tourist appeal, with the international Blue Flag certification awarded in every region. These distinctions – now found across the country – demonstrate that sustainable alternatives do exist, both for people and for nature. If we learn that visiting Venice now requires paying an entry fee, we should accept it not only because the city is effectively an open- air museum, but because regulating access is essential to its survival – quite literally, to stop it from sinking. What many may not know is that Capri is also considering restrictions to curb uncontrolled tourism. The local adminis- tration has reached an agreement with the Ministry of the Environment to establish a protected marine area that, by 2026, would "lock down" access to the Faraglioni – those icon- ic sea stacks now under siege from boat traffic. Under the new regulations, they will only be reachable by rowboat or swim- ming. This move would see Capri join the ranks of Italy's 52 protected marine areas. The change would place the island on the official list of marine reserves, granting it access to dedicat- ed funding, oversight, and enforceable rules. The aim isn't just to preserve a unique natural heritage – one increasingly threatened by aggressive tour operators and mass tourism – but to bring to the island a slower, higher-qual- ity kind of visitor: more mindful, less "predatory." Because ulti- mately, it is precisely this frenzied consumption that diminish- es the value of the landscape. A tourist's purpose, ideally, should be to seek a balance between the environment and the collective well-being of the places they visit. That's exactly what the Blue Flag represents: an internation- al certification (created in 1987, the European Year of the Envi- ronment) that honors coastal destinations committed to sus- tainable land management. The award's main goal is to shift local policy in seaside towns toward sustainability, redefining services not merely as conveniences for beachgoers, but as care for the land and its communities. And just as local administra- tors are called to uphold this philosophy, so too are those who benefit from these beaches. We enjoy clean, beautiful coastal areas because a balance is being maintained, not because we are entitled to impose our presence at any cost. There are signs that public perception of tourism is indeed beginning to shift. Small but telling gestures, such as protests against overtourism and the gentrification of historic city cen- ters, are gaining traction. One such effort is led by the Southern European Network against Touristification, a coalition of over 60 activist groups. They have announced coordinated demon- strations across major European tourist destinations on June 15. Their actions – planned in airports, on buses, and at tourist hotspots in Spain, Italy (including Genoa, Milan, Naples, Paler- mo, Rimini, and Venice), Portugal, and France – will be small- scale but deliberately disruptive. They may amount to little more than a splash of water on a t-shirt, but the message is unmistakable: if we want to preserve the beauty and allure of tourism itself, we must find a sustainable balance. Simone Schiavinato, Editor Simone Schiavinato NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS Member of FUSIE (Federazione Unitaria Stampa Italianaall'Estero), COGITO L'Italo-Americano Please send correspondence to P.O. Box 40156 Pasadena CA 91114 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano Newspaper (a 501(c)(3) non- profit organization), www.italoamericano.org, is the largest and longest-running Italian news- paper in America, not to mention the cultural and news resource for all things Italian in the US. A bilingual newspaper which represents an historical landmark for the Italian American Communities in the West Coast and throughout the US. L'Italo-Americano benefits from subsidies by the Italian Government, Memberships and Donations intended to support and not interrupt a mission that began in 1908 to preserve and promote the Italian language and culture in the USA Periodicals postage paid at Monrovia, California 91016, and additional mailing offices. PUBLISHER Robert Barbera Grande Ufficiale EDITOR IN CHIEF Simone Schiavinato ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER Patrick Abbate EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Barbara Minafra COPY EDITOR Francesca Bezzone LOS ANGELES CONTRIBUTOR Silvia Nittoli SAN FRANCISCO CONTRIBUTOR Serena Perfetto SEATTLE CONTRIBUTOR Rita Cipalla CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mariella Radaelli, Matt Walker, Francesca Bezzone, Luca Ferrari, Stefano Carnevali, Paula Reynolds, Teresa Di Fresco Nicoletta Curradi, Generoso D'Agnese, Jessica S. Levy, Fabrizio Del Bimbo, Maria Gloria, Chuck Pecoraro, Anthony Di Renzo Serena Perfetto, Kenneth Scambray, Chiara D'Alessio, Luca Signorini, Giulia Franceschini © 2025 L'Italo-Americano Membership: One year $59 - Single copy $2.25 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to L'Italo Americano P.O. Box 40156 Pasadena CA 91114

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