“’We will open two new bases, one in Reggio Calabria, it is a historic event’. It’s not me who says it but the CEO of Ryanair today on ‘Repubblica’. In a few weeks Ryanair’s top management will come to present the new routes that the airline has decided to launch in Calabria, mainly from Reggio airport but which will also concern the other Calabrian airports. However, Reggio also becomes a Ryanair hub”. Thus the president of the Calabria Region, Roberto Occhiutoin a video published on social media.
“When Ryanair’s top management came to Calabria a year ago they talked to me about the possibility of adding some new routes from Lamezia airport, but they weren’t yet thinking about Reggio Calabria. I instead I spoke to him above all about the Reggio airport because I believe it could truly be the airport of the Strait and also attract users from eastern Sicily.
I am very happy that they are convinced of this and so in the coming weeks we will also announce the Ryanair routes that will concern the Reggio airport: four Italian and four European connections. It was very hard work but this is how results are achieved, convincing those who have to invest in Calabria that it can be done in this region. And it is a job that was done even when I read unfair criticisms in the press such as ‘airport announcements’. I don’t make announcements, I just try to produce facts, and if Reggio Calabria becomes a Ryanair hub – as the company’s CEO says – it is a historic event”.
Tourism: “Calabria is a child-friendly region”
“There is still a lot to do, especially for Crotone airport, on which I am working to try to keep it open beyond the hours established by the agreement with Enav. This would allow us to have many more flights at this airport too.
Investment in new routes is decisive for tourism. We must bring millions of visitors to Calabria by facilitating access through our airports. And that’s what I’m trying to accomplish.”
In a video published on social media, President Occhiuto also spoke about tourism.
“Of course, we are also investing in hotels. A few days ago we presented a 16 million euro tender that we will give to Calabrian hoteliers to equip their hotels child-friendly. Because I thought that this target, that of family tourism, could be easily attacked by Calabria if the hotels equipped themselves with services such as babysitting, nursery or mini club.
We have allocated resources to this because I would like Calabria to be able to have a ‘stamp’ and qualify as a region where tourism is child-friendly within a year.
It’s hard, backbreaking work, but it’s very stimulating work.
It is a work made up of works that are actually carried out and not of announcements as they are often defined in the press by opponents who only know how to talk and talk. Here, we replace the words of others with our facts.
This is a year that didn’t start very well for me, but I’m very happy that it started very well for Calabria and for Calabrian tourism.
As soon as this activity is concluded, I will be able to entrust the delegation of this sector to some councilor so that I can dedicate myself with the same commitment to other strategic dossiers, to demonstrate that this beautiful region is a region that can be governed, it is a region that can enhance its resources, it is a region where things can be done well.”