On exports, the state of grace of Siena and its province continues into 2024. And the twenty-second Economy Day – Siena 2030 which took place this morning in the Chamber of Commerce – organized by the same body with FMps and the University – highlights the excellent health of the territory which still enjoys a 2023 closing with a record of over 5.3 billion euros
“And at the beginning of this year the good performance was confirmed. In the first quarter of 2024, our province’s exports stood at 1 billion and 400 million euros with a +20.7% increase compared to the same figure in 2023″, states the president of the Chamber Massimo Guasconi.
The GDP, however, should remain stationary, with an increase of 0.6% due to the uncertain future of construction. If in the past year the +7.5% recorded by construction drove the added value of our territory up to 8.6 billion, now a contraction of 6 percentage points is expected.
Pharmaceuticals, campers and the world of wine are our locomotives and have brought, since the beginning of the year, a dowry of over a billion euros. Tourism also did well last year, with an increase in the presence of foreigners. Arrivals totaled 2.4 million and were split halfway between hotel and non-hotel facilities. However, agriculture is doing badly, experiencing the difficulties of local production and recording a -8%. International geopolitical tensions still represent a strong unknown.
“In the political and economic context – underlines Marco Randellini, general secretary of the organization – there are still significant risks that could derive, for example, from the worsening of ongoing conflicts or from the growing commercial tensions that are affecting world trade”. And with them there is also differentiated autonomy. “The law is a mess,” says regional trade councilor Leonardo Marras.
Expectations at work are positive, in terms of employment. But the 20% increase in hours of layoffs from 2023 to 2022, which now exceed one million, constitutes a wake-up call. Today’s event examined various social indicators of the area. “The data is starting to highlight a positive change towards the digital transformation of businesses and towards investments in renewable energy. We are still far behind on waste. The demographic imbalance continues to be very high”, says Francesca Gagliardi of the University of Siena speaking of the data collected as part of the Siena 2030 project.
Finally, the role of the Monte dei Paschi Foundation is recalled by the president Carlo Rossi and the director Marco Forte. “We are a “place of connection” and a promoter of social relations and institutional cohesion. – commented the first – With this aim, our institution is a proactive partner, with a strong propensity for innovation on interventions that generate lasting benefits for the territory”
“Economy day is an important moment of discussion and reflection with local institutions – said the second – on specific indicators of the economic and social context of the province, basic elements on which to start concrete reasoning”.
