Welcome to Taranto (photo Massimo Todaro)
Last Sunday, the free tourist reception service provided by the “Welcome to Taranto” info point made its debut with the arrival of the “Costa Fascinosa” ship. During the four hours of operation, over 500 maps and brochures were distributed and around a thousand people, visiting the city independently, took advantage of the information point’s services. The info point, operational from 8.30 to 12.30 with three staff, provided information on cultural itineraries, shopping and food and wine in Italian, English, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese.
Mario Raffo, provincial president of Federmoda/Confcommercio Taranto and one of the main promoters of the project, confirmed the large influx of Italian and foreign cruise passengers, mainly European and South American, interested in obtaining information on itineraries and places of cultural interest. Raffo underlined the positive feedback on the service offered, highlighting the thanks and requests for selfies from foreign guests. Furthermore, the staff handled the taxi call for about ten tourists.
This year, the info point is located near the merchant port, in a strategic position for cruise passengers heading towards the city, improving safety and convenience compared to the previous year, especially for families with children. However, some inconveniences have been reported for tourists departing from Taranto, with long queues in the sun to get through the security check. The installation of a removable cover and chemical toilets was suggested to improve accessibility.
The next appointments are scheduled for the Sundays of 16 and 23 June, with a double arrival on 30 June of the Costa Fascinosa (capacity 3780) and Tui Mein Schiff (capacity 2534) ships.
