Etna Comics a Catania returns from June 6th to 9th. There are several new features, starting with a new one management of the input flows of the public and from the forecast of economic consequences, in favor of the city, which could reach i 15 million euros. An event that over the years has become increasingly appreciated for both participants, guests and related businesses. The director of the event, Antonio, confirms this Mannino. A few days before the international festival of comics, games and pop culture which takes place as usual at the Le Ciminiere exhibition centre, he admits his emotion: “I feel anxiety, on the one hand, a mix between a sense of responsibility and euphoria, but we are a lot concentrate on this objective of ours. There are some new things and it couldn’t be otherwise, because we are a festival of culture pop and we must renew ourselves every year. And we do it with a smile. This is our message, certainly positive. We put what we do before what we do smile, which is the most important and simple thing. We want to leave this feeling of well being and positivity.”
Read also – Cruises and tourism: a tandem between the ports of Catania and Pozzallo
Public entry flows are changing
“We have greatly changed – explains Mannino – all the management of flows entrance and exit of the event”. In the years preceding the great turnout of the public had led to expectations. The organization intervened by obtaining new ones spaces close to the metro stops. “In particular – continues the director – this year there is one space free with food, beverage and shows area in Piazza Giovanni XXIII. I thank you for this Railroad Circumetnea, which made those spaces available to us.” In via Archimede, next to piazza Giovanni XXIII, the box office and all the withdrawal part of the bracelets. “It will thus be possible to access the Chimneys – adds Mannino – without creating file for ticketing”. Also because the East pavilion, the largest of the Chimneys, is in renovation. This forced “rebalance the entire event on Piazzale Rocco Chinnici”, in front of the Chimneys.
Read also – Catania, liberated seafront: a success. But in the summer everything stops
Etna Comics cannot exist except in Catania
The knot of accesses and of the rows is a point sore in the event of such important and well-attended events. “The Chimneys” it is a large structure, but not so large as to accommodate large flows of public. This is also a limit for Etna Comics. “We are growing scheduled – explains Mannino – but not organic”. Cross and delight, in short. “The delight is that this event venue is so close to the center of the city which is difficult to replace. The cross is that more than this we can’t do it. We try every year to play Tetris, we put some things in and take others out. An architectural task: making room for things new and ensure that all the things that are there they are needed“. Despite the structural limitations, however, the future is not foreseeable location different. “The demonstration is Catanese – underlines the director – by its nature it must take place where the points are interest of the city. Also because we do a lot marketing territorial, so that our guests can fully enjoy the city, in its most beautiful moment which is the spring awakening. We can’t think Etna Comics in a city other than Catania. It seems like a limit, but we must transform it into a merit“.
Read also – “Caravaggio. The truth of light.” The exhibition-event opens in Catania
Etna Comics and the strong impact on tourism
In the edition 2023the demonstration counted 93 thousand visitors. This year the organization expects to confirm these numbers. “We hope to do the BIS – says Mannino – we have a great program entertainment with 96 hours of entertainment, 12 thematic areas, we have an extremely full schedule.” All this has a notable relapse economical on Catania. In 2016, according to a study by Etna Comics, the impact on tourism and related dynamics in the city of Catania was estimated at ten million euros. Today “we think it is absolutely superiorwe wander around the 15 million euros for the community”, hypothesizes the director. The event costs around one million euros. “A production remarkable – observes Mannino – and only the item ‘guests’ accounts for a little less than half. That is, only Etna Comics leaves the community more than half a million of Euro”.
