Tuscany can become a Mediterranean charter mecca. Here’s how

How to boost nautical tourism in Italy? The answer is contained in this fine article by Luciano Rigli (one of the world’s leading chartering experts, currently head of Kiriacoulis Italy and CNI Marina) appeared in theTuscan edition of the 24-hour Sun. Let us know what you think and whether you agree.

WE ARE WASTING AN OPPORTUNITY!
“We are in a period when companies tend to move their production to countries where more profit can be made. The only industry that big companies cannot transfer is tourism: If you want to visit Florence or Venice, you have to come to Italy. One of the tourist streams of excellence is nautical tourism, a real driving force for the coastal and island economy. Italy, especially Tuscany, because of its archipelago and proximity to other European countries, is in the ideal position to harvest this manna. Despite the 2007 Pit (Territorial Address Plan, or the planning act by which the region, in accordance with the indications of the regional development program, establishes the guidelines for the identification of territorial systems, directs for coordination purposes the programming and planning of local authorities, and defines the operational objectives of its territorial policy, ed.), which had seized the opportunity, the bureaucratic machine is throwing overboard what was planned by then Regional Councillor Conti.

THE CHARTER INDUCEMENT
The leading country in the Mediterranean for nautical chartering is Greece, with about 10,000 commercially registered vessels, or boats that can be used by third parties to spend their vacations. Turkey and Croatia have also focused on charter activity. One study showed that a charter boat, generates work for 3 people. In fact, the average expenditure of a cruise passenger for a week is about 1,000 euros (including galley, some restaurants, etc.); a boat normally accommodates about 110 people per season, generating an expenditure in the territory of about 110,000 euros per unit.

THE CHARTER HALVED
Today the boats in Tuscany used for this purpose do not reach 250; a few years ago they bordered on 500. According to a study we compiled, Tuscany can safely receive about 1,000 vessels: that is, employment for about 3,000 people. A key to nautical tourism is the supply of accommodation: marinas, which often have difficulty making ends meet, passing it on to boaters through very high fees, with the natural consequence that boats migrate to where it costs less (France, Greece, Croatia, etc.) and chartering becomes uneconomic.

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THE SOLUTIONS ARE THERE
One solution to this can be, in compliance with the Pit, the establishment of special areas, a generalized offer of good services at competitive prices, giving concessionaires compensatory measures, such as extension of duration. Simple recipe that would return to fill the ports now emptied, and make profitable an activity that other countries bordering the Mediterranean are literally snatching from us. In Tuscany alone, in addition to the 3,000 generated by charter activity, we would have at least another 7,000 employed by returning and new incoming boats (shipbuilding, garaging, ports, etc.).