The year 2019 will be dedicated
to 'slow tourism' in a project to invest in heritage railway
lines to promote little-known Italian areas, Culture Minister
Dario Franceschini has announced after a meeting with the
president of Italy's railway FS (Ferrovie dello Stato)
Foundation.
The plan is to promote historic rail lines along with modern
infrastructures to enable tourists to explore areas that are
less known to the public yet rich in history and culture,
Franceschini said at the culture ministry on Thursday.
A total of over 130,000 tourists over the past two years
travelled aboard historic trains along nine railway lines that
were reactivated for this purpose for a total of 600 kilometers.
"After the year of paths, that of villages and this year as
the year of food, we will conclude an ideal voyage to promote
little-known Italian territories with the year of slow tourism
in 2019", Franceschini said.
"And heritage railway lines, together with bicycle and
trekking paths, are perfect", the minister noted.
Moretti announced the restoration of historic luxury trains
including the models Arlecchino ETR 250, Settebello ETR 300,
Polifemo ETR 200 and Pendolino ETR 450) and the reactivation of
an additional 100 km of rail lines.
"After the National museum of Pietrarsa, which registered in
2017 110,000 visitors (up 58% on 2016 and up 647% on 2014), we
are starting restoration work at the Museum of Trieste Campo
Marzio for a total investment of 5 million euros with work to
begin shortly", added Moretti.
Meanwhile at the Senate on Thursday tourism business
federation Federturismo Confindustria and the Parliamentary
Observatory for Tourism presented a number of proposals ahead of
national elections on March 4.
The projects launched for the next legislature included
creating a ministry of tourism with its own portfolio, cutting
red tape and providing 'art bonuses' to help private museums,
promoting the digitalization of businesses and focusing more on
southern Italy.
The president of the Observatory, Ignazio Abrignani, said
that, "at the start of each legislature tourism is at the
center, then it disappears from programs".
"If tourism grows, Italy grows", said the president of
Federturismo Confindustria, Gianfranco Battisti.
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