La Marca: “A super department for Tourism and events for 6 months”
For many years we have been talking about the tourist development of Manfredonia. It is certainly a good thing, but our city – it is fair to admit it – still lacks a clear tourist strategy, an intelligent positioning with respect to its strategic position as the gateway to the Gargano. For this reason, considering that tourism (even at a regional level) represents a lever for the economic development of the territory, in the very first months of my government I will undertake to have a plan drawn up strategic for tourism that gives us the right tools and indications to best package the territorial brand of Manfredonia.
It will be necessary to create distinct tourist product clubs for each season, accompanied by major events that act as tourist attractors. Certainly the Carnival, to which I will dedicate a specific study, the patronal festival, but in particular the “Manfredonia Festival”, the historical container of Manfredonia which will have to be transformed into a large cultural program of spring and summer events, from 21 March to 21 September . For 184 days, in 6 months, Manfredonia must become the stage for concerts, food and wine tours, theatre, cinema, literary reviews and sport. Big events, as other municipalities close to us testify, can really transform the image of the city and push tourists to visit us for a long period of the year.
All these activities will be handled by a competent super department, supported by a Council for culture and tourism which will act as a laboratory for strategies and directions on the topic. Manfredonia will have to intercept tourists thanks to strategic advertising campaigns, designed in collaboration with Puglia Promozione; promote network contacts between economic and tourist operators and welcome every person who arrives in the city as an expected and respected guest.
Welcoming must be a mantra of our community. We will need to transform tourists into ambassadors of Manfredonia, linking them to us with a card system for services that will not only include transport, but also privileged access to some sites or events that will be scheduled for that period of stay. For this reason, I would like to create a single ticket for the city’s museums and establish a network of archaeological sites, enhancing our cultural and landscape beauties and creating events to promote them.
Actions, ideas and concrete visions that we will develop to position Manfredonia in the regional tourism scenario, creating good employment and activating new energy and collaborations with neighboring municipalities.
Domenico La Marca – Mayoral candidate
