«Messina must no longer be just a transit city, but must absolutely aspire to become a true tourist destination». Tourism Minister Gianmarco Mazzi said this in Messina where he was taking part in a meeting in support of the centre-right candidate for mayor, Marcello Scurria. “Messina – he added – must become more and more welcoming and we must ensure that structures and realities are created that can become attractive for tourists. I have seen the artistic beauties, the monumental, artistic and cultural sites that there are in Messina, there is an endless list of wonderful places”. in art, in culture. Then there is also food and wine which is on par with art, with landscape, so you have all the tools to be able to compete on the national and international tourism market.”
Mazzi, “In Messina there is a problem linked to accommodation facilities”
“I met the local representatives of Confindustria and I understood – underlined the minister – that there is a problem linked to accommodation facilities, which must also exude a charm to attract tourists”. «Today – he added – the tourist, especially the international one, is a technological tourist, this is the strong change that has taken place in tourism. Today the tourist informs himself about where to go, he wants to make sure that the holiday experience is also cultural and that it gives him satisfaction, so it is no longer random and this can be a great advantage if you know how to use it. It also imposes a great responsibility: every tourist becomes an ambassador of the land they visit. There was a time when the tourist was seen as an opportunity to get rich in the area, while now he is above all an ambassador of the area.” “This – he concluded – is a land that also brings the most valuable international tourism because Americans arrive, they come from Great Britain, Germany, France which are the strongest tourism markets in the world. It is a responsibility to welcome every tourist who arrives in Italy and this is what I am saying to all tourism operators, to all administrators”