Veneto launches holidays on the rivers, "like in the Nordic countries"

The third Sunday of April will be celebrated as regional river tourism day.New law.

VENICE – After the panoramic rooms at high altitude, holidays on the rivers.Veneto clears a new frontier of (its) tourism:with 41 votes in favour, the Regional Council approved the new "Provisions for the recognition, valorisation and promotion of river tourism and support for coastal communities".It is a law, first signatory Laura Cestari (Lega-Liga Veneta), which promotes river holidays and tourist use of the waterways, routes and coastal villages, to support "a chain of activities and services linked to free time, the enjoyment of the landscape and local cultural heritage, river cruises, sporting practices and the discovery of the typical food and wine of the coastal communities".

NEW FORMS OF TOURISM, “LIKE IN THE NORDIC COUNTRIES”

By river tourism, Cestari explained, we do not "just mean boat excursions, houseboat cruises, walks and local nautical activities, such as rowing, kayaking or sport fishing, but an integrated complex of 'supply chain' activities that they combine sport and culture, relaxation and food and wine, sport and events".The provision then "promotes a different management model for enhancing tourism and coastal communities which is inspired by the experiences of the Nordic countries and involves extensive involvement of local stakeholders".New forms of tourism such as "fly for the territory, especially for the most fragile areas such as Polesine".With a single direction, "the tourist enhancement of all the coastal communities" will be planned.The new law commits the regional council to supporting with tenders the projects of the coastal communities for the valorisation of the rivers and the "promotion of a sustainable and integrated tourist offer, which preserves the biodiversity of the coastal areas, favors new methods of integrated transport and promotes the marginal areas of Veneto".

AND ON THE THIRD SUNDAY OF APRIL RIVERS DAY IS CELEBRATED

In concrete terms, the law allocates 100,000 euros per year for the promotion of this segment of the tourist offer and 250,000 euros per year for the redevelopment and renovation of landing places, bridges, moorings, and existing buildings and structures that can be functional to the river tourism. Furthermore, every year on the third Sunday of April the Regional River Tourism Day will be celebrated, with themed information and association projects.The Day (it will have an annual budget of 25,000 euros) will involve local authorities, associations, Pro loco and schools in initiatives to promote the coastal communities.Those 375,000 euros are few "compared to the ambitious objectives of a law that still deserves attention and support", highlighted the co-rapporteur Elena Ostanel (The Veneto we want), vice-president of the Tourism commission.The opposition spokesperson, Arturo Lorenzoni, also spoke about the scarcity of resources.
The oppositions have seen some proposals accepted, for example for encourage boats with clean energy engines and to provide for an annual evaluation of the application of the law.Which is liked (for the connections with environmental protection, the fight against water pollution and the promotion of cycle tourism and sustainable tourism) by the president of the Culture commission Francesca Scatto (Lega-Liga), and Tommaso Razzolini, Enoch Soranzo and Daniele Polato of Fratelli d'Italia, to Forza Italia group leader Elisa Venturini.The Democratic Party is cautious:Andrea Zanoni and Jonatan Montanariello and the vice-president of the Council Francesca Zottis called for more substantial interventions in favor of river intermodality and "programming laws, to avoid many little laws that waste resources".Councilor Francesco Calzavara applauds his proposal on behalf of the Council a possible increase in resources in the future for an initiative that "involves three departments and brings together tourism policies, infrastructure policies and those for the protection of the environment and waterways".

AFTER COLLI DAY, THE RIVERS DAY:“AND THE REAL PROBLEMS?”

After the day to celebrate autonomy, after the one dedicated to the Venetian hills (the first Sunday of spring), here is the one for the rivers of Veneto.The third Sunday of April.Good, but not very good, observes the opposition spokesperson in the Veneto Regional Council, Arturo Lorenzoni:“Every day committees, associations and ordinary citizens highlight multiple critical issues in strategic sectors such as health, social, environment, mobility, and the list could continue endlessly.And what does the Regional Council do?Use time and resources to create Hills and Rivers days from nothing.Certainly, initiatives that can have positive repercussions, however, are useful above all for distributing contributions to local authorities, with the ultimate aim of cementing consensus“.And "hearing that all this represents the driving force for supporting our economy makes me think that perhaps there is a problem with analyzing the needs of the Veneto".If 375,000 euros were enough to have an economic driving force", then I would say to make similar laws one a day.But the problems are elsewhere and someone hasn't understood it yet.I hope the citizens understand this”, concludes Lorenzoni.