Four districts to join the efforts and work through the simplification of red tape procedures to revamp the tourist planning of Campania. This is the ground of the programme presented yesterday by new Regional Minister for tourism of Campania Pasquale Sommese.

Four new districts for tourism in Campania: the Domitian Coast (Cellole, Castelvolturno, Mondragone and Sessa Aurunca), Isolaverde (Ischia, Casamicciola, Barano d'Ischia, Lacco Ameno, Forio d'Ischia and Serrara Fontana), the Gulf of Policastro (Vibonati, Sapri, Ispani, San Giovanni a Piro and Santa Marina) and the Sorrento Coast (Massa Lubrense, Meta, Piano di Sorrento, Sant'Agnello, Sorrento, Vico Equense).

The last step is the final decree of the Prime Minister to make the new districts operational, simplifying red tape procedures for local Small and Medium Enterprises.

Special administrative and financial terms for research and development set forth by article 1, paragraph 368 of the Law no. 266 of 23 December 2005 will apply to those businesses that work in the tourist districts.

Thus, new tax breaks and benefits for new production activities that will have several advantages.

Where districts correspond to urban free zones, under the Cipe (Inter-ministerial Committee for Economic Planning) selection, allocated resources will be given to the Mayor who is responsible for that area to obtain funds for the new production activities; in the implementation of the plans for local safety, a top priority shall be ensured to the actions of the local territorial Authorities included in the tourist districts.

Regional Minister Sommese stated: “The heavy consequences of the economic crisis on the South force us to use to their best the potentialities of Southern regions to revamp development and employment. For Campania, from this point of view, the key brands are tourism and cultural heritage. The aim of the regional Executive Board led by President Caldoro is the combination of the promotion of the tourist and cultural assets together with the local resources.

From this general vision, choices concerning a further growth of the sector will be made under the 2014- 2020 planning, taking into consideration guidelines and remarks of the European Commission. It means that we have to focus on territorialisation and cohesion through the multi-level governance principle through the constant involvement of the institutional and social and economic partnership both in the planning stage and in the implementation, control and assessment phase – the Regional Minister continued.

Mr Sommese added: “The new tourist and cultural policy I will focus on over the next months, will address a tourist and cultural offer able to generate sustainable development as well as to give conditions and opportunities as for safety, transport, technology and a better enjoyment of all the tourist sectors: from bathing to wine and food; from religious to cultural one. This will be done also by promoting important events to spread the reputation and identity of Campania and promote tourist flows on the territory less dependent on seasons”.

Today we start with the initiatives implemented by Regione to promote its coasts. You will see in your folder the first four tourist districts; we are only waiting for the final decree by the PM and the President of the region.

The sectors selected and those to be selected over the next few days are the other side of the hard work of the Executive Board led by President Caldoro about bathing water quality and cleanness of sea bottoms.

The aim is to make the cultural heritage promotion and the huge assets of this region a real opportunity both from the upgrading and protection point of view; through their networking, the purpose is a better enjoyment as a driving force for Campania development and employment growth.

Tourism is the root of the beauty of our region, the real local brand. I will listen to the sector operators constantly and work for a web platform to make our assets enjoyable from all over the world: all together we can achieve this important target – Regional Minister for Tourism Pasquale Sommese concluded.