The Peperoncino Festival 2025 confirmed itself not only as an appointment of great cultural and food and wine call, but also as a stage of innovation and inclusion. The theme and the element of novelty of this edition – attention to accessible and sustainable tourism – was conceived and strongly desired by the network of tour operators of the “Riviera dei Cedri – La Porta della Calabria” project, which has contributed to structure a rich program of talk, events and masterclasses.
During the five days, accessible, sustainable, sporting, non -extolberghiero, major events and economic development opportunities in the small villages of the hinterland were discussed. There was no lack of traditional and innovative masterclasses with protagonists the identity products of the area, from cedar to chilli pepper, and tastings of liqueurs, bitters, wine and craft beers of partner companies.
But the highlight was the intervention of Antonio Mirijello, president of the Calabria Regional Council of the National Sordo National Authority (ENS), who took part in the talk together with a group of 50 members from all the Calabrian provinces, thanks also to the collaboration offered by the five provincial sections of Calabria. For the first time in the history of the Festival, some interventions were translated into LIS – language of Italian signs, allowing full participation also to deaf people.
The Ens group has experienced a dedicated experiential program, which saw not only the Festival protagonist but also the naturalistic and cultural beauties of the Cedri Riviera. Among the activities carried out, the visit to the villages of Scalea and Orsomarso, in addition to the excursion in the Valle Argentine naturalistic reserve within the Pollino National Park, accompanied by the environmental guides Angelo Lucchese and Claudia Primitivi, also specialized in inclusive accompaniment for people with disabilities. The stay was organized in Scalea at the Santa Caterina Village, a structure certified by Village4all, the brand that certifies the adoption of an accessibility management system, a guarantee of adequate and inclusive welcome for all visitors. This experience was also made possible thanks to the joint work of the network of tour operators of the “Riviera dei Cedri – La Porta della Calabria” project, committed to promoting a fully accessible use.
In this frame, the signing of a letter of intent between Arca, the leader of the project, and ENS, aimed at the organization in the coming months of training and information activities aimed at tour operators in the area, was announced. The goal: to strengthen an increasingly accessible and inclusive reception model, a fundamental pillar of the network project “Riviera dei Cedri – La Porta della Calabria”.
The product network, the beating heart of the project, today involves 11 companies in the tourist supply chain and 17 institutional stakeholders between public bodies, private individuals and local associations, which together build an integrated offer capable of enhancing sea, villages, nature, culture and food and wine.
Angelo Napolitano, president of Arca and the leader of the project, underlined: “The Riviera dei Cedri project – the door of sustainable and accessible Calabria as well as strengthening the tourist attractiveness of the area, wants to allow all visitors to live a truly inclusive use experience. This is the meaning of a modern destination: accessible, sustainable and capable of telling its territory. Center of the Festival. “
Giancarlo Formica, president of the Ecotur Consortium, added: “The project has a sustainable, accessible and inclusive approach. This collaboration guarantees integration, quality and innovation of the tourist offer, strengthening the competitiveness of the destination. It is a path that arises from the network and that will continue to grow with the network.”