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YOU COMMUNITY 73
DIRECT IMPACT ON LOCAL COMMUNITIES
ESTABLISHMENT
OF A SHORESIDE
HOSPITALITY
CONTRIBUTION SYSTEM
TO FOSTERING OF NATURAL, DEVELOPMENT
ARTISTIC AND OF NEW
CULTURAL HERITAGE PROFESSIONALISM
AND KNOW-HOW
SUPPORT
ECONOMIC FOR COMMUNITIES
DEVELOPMENT IN NEED
and Marmugao to compensate were previously largely excluded from
for the lack of local guides who the benefits of tourism. Costa also runs
speak the main Western languages, these tours on weekdays and in the off
interpreters and tour escorts have season, thereby regulating the flow of
been recruited from all over the tourists, which consequently becomes
country. With the support of the more manageable; this gives our
Indian Government, the Company guests a more laid back experience and
has initiated a specific training at the same time generates year-round
program that includes shipboard business for the local economy. Costa
activities. The shore tour staff on the Cruises’ idea of sustainable tourism
Costa neoClassica (deployed on the is based on engaging with all the
India-Maldives itinerary during the main local institutions and sensitizing ITALY’S HISTORIC SMALL TOWNS, A HERITAGE TO BE DISCOVERED AND FOSTERED THE FIRST 10 BORGHI
2017/2018 winter season) played an cruisers so as to encourage more and CHOSEN BY COSTA
more authentic experiences. We do our
active part in the induction program. utmost to promote these alternative In 2017 the Ministry for Cultural Affairs & Tourism’s Strategic Plan for Tourism underlined the need to SEBORGA
This type of initiative enhances the tours among our international clientele, foster Italy’s so-called borghi, or historic small towns; these are hidden jewels – picturesque places that LIGURIA
shoreside experience for cruisers offering them the chance to take part are still relatively unknown despite their vast artistic and cultural assets, and consequently full of potential MONTEMARCELLO
while providing job opportunities in a new participatory and immersive in terms of rethinking tourism according to the guiding principles of sustainability, innovation and LIGURIA
ARQUÀ PETRARCA
for local young people. travel category. While Costa organizes accessibility. Costa Cruises has taken up this challenge and established a partnership with the association VENETO
I Borghi più belli d’Italia (“Italy’s finest historic small towns”), which has given rise to an initiative called
In the last few years Costa has gradually the transport for its guests on shore “Historic villages, a heritage to be discovered and fostered”. With the objective of favoring ecotourism ORVIETO
diversified its range of shore tours, tours, the other shoreside hospitality and supporting the local economy, this project is designed to take our international cruise guests to see UMBRIA
adding new port calls and excursions services are provided by local some of these little gems and to provide them with a truly authentic, one-off experience. Cruisers are CIVITA DI BAGNOREGIO
to places off the beaten path. We have businesses, thus boosting the economy escorted by local guides, who help them discover and enjoy the artistic treasures of each place, the local LATIUM
done so for two reasons: firstly, in and encouraging the development of history and traditions; visitors’ appreciation is enhanced by food&wine offerings and the chance to see local LOCOROTONDO
PUGLIA
order to provide new and alternative entrepreneurial skills. craftsmen at work. 10 of these heritage-listed towns have been added to Costa’s program of shore tours, CASTIGLIONE DI SICILIA
opportunities for our customers, who are thus bolstering the development of their amenities for tourists. In most cases the excursions in question SICILY
increasingly interested in the concept take place on weekdays and continue also in the off season, this being vital insofar as it guarantees regular MONTALBANO ELICONA
of social impact travel; and secondly, income for these small towns. The discovery of these ancient and largely unexplored parts of Italy is a SICILY
to generate a positive economic impact starting point for the development of increasingly responsible tourism, the tourism of the future. Costa SALEMI
more widely, by including destinations is determined to play a major part in the Strategic Plan for Tourism and intends to gradually add other SICILY
that offer cultural, historical, artistic alternative destinations of this kind to its program of shore tours. ATRANI
CAMPANIA
and environmental attractions, but that
