Responsible tourism in Riace in south Italy’s Ionian

A small town revived by African and Asian refugees after being deserted by local population migrating in wealthy part of the world.

Tourists are attracted not only by the sea side but also by multicultural world  on which even a famous  film director Win Wenders  made a film  "Il volo", “The flight”.

  Wim Wenders in Riace.

The association  “Città Futura”   refurbished  old abandoned houses   to host tourists,    making a popular hotel from   the whole town.

In addition to craft production there are laboratories of potteries, glass, weaving, preserves and oil.

 At “Donna Rosa” tavern    you can taste dishes from calabrian tradition and  the flavors and aromas of the kitchen of Near East.

 Integration as a key word

Local authorities  and   associations first task has   been to   avoid the migration of local population  and to host   refugees. As they couldn’t count  just on refugees subsidies, they  are    promoting crafts and tourism all the year long  by involving  schools  and  retired people.

The experience has been going on for about 15 years. It is not isolated  but involved two other small towns in the area , Caulonia and Badolato.

 

 

 

The  attraction is based on an offer of products and services from the local Tradition as well as an ethnic coming from north African and Asian countries.

 The events are a lot as the "Riac...cendi il borgo"  - Re burning the village-  as well working camps.

The challenges for the future is based on the dissemination  of this kind of  experience