Sicily Guide

At its third year Sicilia Madre Terra, an award that aims to promote a better cultural understanding of Sicily nationally and internationally, has been awarded to the following journalists:

International
Tetsuro Akanegakubo (Giappone-Shakai Shimpo), Aart Heering (Olanda-Alegemeen Dagblad), Jesper Uhrup Jensen (Danimarca-Gastro), Peter Loewe (Svezia- DagensNyheter), Benigna Mallebrein (Germania-Divino), Tobias Piller (Germania-Frankurter Allegemeine).

National
Marcello Coronini (Euposia), Fabrizio Piacente (Rai TG2), Giovanni Piscolla (ItaliaOggi).

The award ceremony will take place at the Hotel Villa Igiea Hilton in Palermo on December 19.

While Italian law enforcement has seemingly dealt serious blows to the Mafia, there is evidence that a new and more formidable Mafia is now emerging. With the two most powerful Sicilian Mafia bosses behind bars and the illicit criminal network’s domestic sources of income curtailed, it at first seems that Italian law enforcement has dealt several serious blows to Italy’s most notorious secret crime society.

But it now appears that in its weakened state, the Cosa Nostra is strengthening ties to New York’s Gambino crime family, a move that has fostered the return of one of Sicily’s most notorious clans and which may bolster revenue, decentralize decision making and make the job much tougher for Italian investigators and prosecutors.

Read more at ISN

Chris Fusco writes about his honemoon on the Chicago Sun-Times… My new wife and I had one mission when we arrived in Termini Imerese, the Sicilian town where my dad’s ancestors lived: Find my family’s namesake street, Via Fusco.

We had a hunch this wouldn’t be easy. More than two weeks into our honeymoon in Sicily, our trip had been anything but.

First, there was the lost luggage. Then came the white-knuckle scooter-dodging drives on winding roads designed for horses, not horsepower. And who could forget the grumpy innkeeper in Corleone, who we strongly suspect hocked loogies in our cappuccinos.

But in Termini Imerese, the 70-ish-looking man working the front desk at Town Hall greeted us warmly. I gave him my business card, hoping he’d recognize me as a long-lost relative . . . or at least give us a map.

Read more at the Chicago Sun-Times

British media can be very critical of the situation in Southern Italy and particularly in Sicily. Anyway, the Economist just published in article on its web site about the declining of the mafia as a family business. According to the article, the police and entrapreneurs are putting increasing pressure on the bosses.

Before flinging himself out of the window when surrounded by police, Daniele Emmanuello, the Mafia “godfather” of Gela, a port in Sicily, managed only to pull some clothes over his pyjamas. Or so it seemed. He was shot dead as he fled on December 3rd, and during the autopsy pathologists discovered that Mr Emmanuello had done something else in his final moments: he had swallowed a small plastic bag containing tiny coded notes.

Similar notes were found last year in the hideout of Bernardo Provenzano, capo di tutti i capi of the Sicilian Cosa Nostra, and on Salvatore Lo Piccolo, his would-be successor who was arrested last month. This wealth of evidence is perilous to the Mafia. Once deciphered, it leads investigators not only to associates but also to businessmen who pay protection money.

Read more at the Economist.com

The Sicilian Region is studying the possibility of investing in the construction of a heliport system throughout the island. I hope they will find solutions. It is certainly a hassle to drive for about two hours before getting home from Catania airport and I bet that there are many more Sicilians who have to drive even longer than that. Anyway, it will all depend also on the helicopter fares.

Working in a DMO, I have an idea of the average budget of most European Tourist Offices in New York City. Also, I am familiar with the marketing budget of most of the state tourist offices in the USA. So, when I read the money spent by every single region in Italy to promote its brand abroad, I was literally shocked.

Now you wonder if ENIT around the world cannot do much to promote Italy…

I will not comment any further, but here are the numbers:

In 2006 Italian regions spent 2 billion Euros in tourist promotion

In 2001
Sardinia 231,4 million Euros
Trentino Alto Adige 183,3 million Euros

In 2006
Sicily 316,4 million Euros
Trentino Alto Adige 206 million Euros
Lazio 107,4 million Euros
Sardinia 129,3 million Euros
Valle d’Aosta 103,3 million Euros

Data provided by Confturismo-Confcommercio and Cnr

Finally some good news for the operators! After years of crisis in the number of tourist arrivals, the past few years have registered a positive trend so far according to the Italian Touring Club (TCI).

In 2006, arrivals increased 12,3% compared to 2005. This trend has been confirmed in the last eight months of 2007 (+7,6%). The good news is also that spending per every foreign tourist is increasing as well (+1,7%; 82 euros per day). Turkey, Egypt and Croatia have recorded consistent increases as well affirming themselves as direct competitors to watch in the Mediterranean area. Asia and the Pacific areas show the highest level of increase.

Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina (EN) will operate on a different schedule beginning this coming January 2008. The archeological site will be closed on Mondays and open Tuesday thru Friday from 10AM to 2PM and Saturday and Sunday from 9AM to 3PM. Since the restauration works, the price of the ticket will be discounted.

Italy is going forward again, but “the lack of confidence” remains, as well as “the uncertainty about the future” said PM Romano Prodi during a press conference. “We should stay alert for the mafia and organised crime. The battle is producing a change of climate, business in Sicily is finding the strength to raise its head, the work isn’t done yet however. The State will not stop until this cancer has been eradicated”, he added.

Source: AGI