PALERMO (ITALPRESS) – Fifty years as an important reference for the city and not only for what concerns the sea: the golden wedding between Assonautica and Palermo, celebrated at the Palermo-Enna Chamber of Commerce, is an occasion of celebration but still more discussion on future opportunities. The objective is to consolidate the presence of the port as a reference for tourists and stakeholders, but also to be ready for the challenge of digitalisation. The event was attended by the president of Assonautica Palermo Andrea Ciulla, the president of the Palermo-Enna Chamber of Commerce Alessandro Albanese, the regional councilor for Productive Activities Edy Tamajo and the councilors of the Municipality of Palermo Brigida Alaimo (Budget) and Pietro Alongi (Environmental policies and ecological transition); Furthermore, the national president of Assonautica Giovanni Acampora participated via video link. In reiterating the importance of having reached an important milestone for a story born on 1 July 1974, Ciulla underlines how “Assonautica is a real system, which over time has grown with many innovations: future prospects require a well-established Assonautica placed in institutional relations, we are focusing above all on nautical tourism and tourist ports.
The challenges are many and the activities that we will carry out will be in the wake of our long tradition”. Acampora claims that even at a national level “Assonautica is working incessantly to confirm its national maritime identity and a centrality for the country’s economy: we are at the forefront alongside Minister Musumeci to reiterate the centrality of the sea and improve attractiveness not only for tourists, but also for stakeholders”. Albanese, who was president of Assonautica from 2018 to 2020, highlights how “I have an excellent relationship with the association, which has always been a reference for the territory and a branch for the Chamber of Commerce. Behind the port nautical industry there is everything: trade, craftsmanship, industry, shipbuilding”. The president of the Palermo-Enna Chamber of Commerce then focuses on the need for the association to follow “the direction of digital, because it is fundamental for tourist ports: we want to systematize all the Sicilian tourist ports through a specific portal, so that those who arrive can find all the possible services”. Tamajo, who on this occasion confirmed that he wants to keep the role of councilor for Productive Activities until the end of his mandate, explains how “our attention to the nautical world is important, I am always open to any dialogue: we want to take Sicilian companies abroad, to attack the markets and have better opportunities than those that have existed so far”. Widening the scope to other planned investments, Tamajo explains, “we still have 1.2 billion to spend between Po-Fesr 2021-27 and the Development and Cohesion Fund. In addition, we will make resources available for new industrial and artisan areas: we want a Sicily that has the same opportunities as the northern regions”. Alongi and Alaimo focus on two strategic points of Palermo for tourist ports but which urgently need to be redeveloped: the South Coast and the former Arenella chemical plant. As for the first, the Forza Italia representative explains, “we want to build the small port in the Bandita area by 2027, which will have one hundred spaces for boats: this city has a first-rate maritime vocation and a coast that guarantees tourist wealth and environmental beauty, the Municipality is aware that to become a window on the Mediterranean, certain patterns must be overcome”. Speaking of the second, the Budget Councillor highlights how “the situation is dramatic and the intervention of the municipal administration alone cannot be enough to remedy it. The deadline for submitting redevelopment projects within a European call for tenders is July 11: we wanted to ensure that they were in line with the ecological transition”. – photo xd8 Italpress – (ITALPRESS). xd8/vbo/red 01-Jul-24 19:37 .
