TREVISO From Treviso brandas throughout the Veneto, over the decades, hundreds of thousands of people emigrated in search of fortune (and, often, they found it). Many of their descendants now wish to return to their family origins and to know the places where your grandparents or great-grandparents were born and lived before leaving. In short, to rediscover one’s roots. In most cases for a holiday, in some cases also for a more permanent stay. Not by chance, “roots tourism” is the definition under which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is developing a series of dedicated programs. Not a small sector: in the nine months from January to September 2023, almost 8 and a half million travellers they came to Italy from abroad to meet relatives and friends, with a 15.6% increase compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.
They generated a turnover of over 5.4 billion euros, staying an average of seven nights each.
THE ANALYSIS
«We believe that the numbers could be decidedly higher – he explains Giovanni De Vita, director of the ministrywhich coordinates initiatives in the field – because many come to visit the place where their ancestors came from, but without the precise idea of finding relatives. Beyond the border there is an Italy larger than Italy itself, made up of almost 80 million people of Italian origins. These tourists can represent a great opportunity to renew relations with Italian communities abroad and Italy’s role in the world.” In 2022, Treviso residents registered in the registry of Italian residents abroad exceeded 143 thousand. Even in this case, however, the official figures are considerably lower than the real number of heirs of local emigrants, sometimes even of the third or fourth generation.
THE PROMOTION
Since last June it has been based and operational in Treviso Venetian rootsa social promotion association mandated by the Farnesina is developing activities in this area at a local level. Starting with specific itineraries and tourist packages: «We are still in a startup phase, but we are already receiving numerous requests, especially from Brazil and from Canadacountries in which Venetian emigration is naturally very rooted”, he confirms Alessandro Martinimember of the board of directors of the new reality and, for over twenty years, director of the tourism promotion company Marca Treviso Foundation. However, there is also a second trend linked to the revitalization of centers with less than 5 thousand inhabitants: «The ministry has issued tenders, also financed through the Pnrr, both to set up posters of events aimed at this type of tourism, and for a real redevelopment of small villages precisely to encourage a longer stay of returning emigrants. With the aim, for example, of combating depopulation or attracting professional figures of which there is a shortage.” The organization has 63 members, including universities of Venice and Verona, Anci, the management organizations of tourist destinations, Pro loco, associations of Venetian emigrants, such as Trevisani in the world.
THE MEETING
Yesterday, in the complex of Saint Artemius, a conference was held dedicated to the theme of roots tourism and to the preliminary phase of these journeys, so to speak: genealogical research in public and parish archives. «The interest in visiting the places of origin is strong – he confirms Franco Conte, president of Trevisani in the world -. In this month of April, for example, we are accompanying various groups especially from Brazil, in particular from the states of Rio Grande do Sul and of Santa Catarina: it is significant to observe how even young descendants are moved by the town hall of the town where their family lived. Precisely for this reason, one of the objectives is facilitate archive searches on the origins: often local administrations and parishes, although available, are not able to provide the information sought”.
Tags: emigrants search origins
