The Genius of the Place inspires the mood of the future lifestyle.
The visionaries are the heroes of our time, pioneers who dared to realize their dreams, succeeding in enhancing the beauty and genius of the Italian territory. In the great endeavor, there always lies a powerful force, empowering communities to take that quantum leap that often anticipates the times, while retracing the paths of the ancient fathers.
On Saturday, May 18th, 2024, with the patronage of the Lombardy Region, a day dedicated to the enhancement of the territory will be held, starting at 11 a.m. with a round table discussion and continuing at 4 p.m. with the third edition of the international conference “Luino, 350 years of tourism history. From the Petit Tour of the Three Lakes to the Locarno – Venice Waterway, between culture, management, and law.” The event will take place in Luino on Lake Maggiore, at the prestigious location of Palazzo Verbania, formerly Kursaal.
The organizing committee of the third edition aims to promote the beauty of the Lombard border worldwide, drawing inspiration from the enchanting Grand and Petit Tours of yesteryears. In the late 1800s, Thomas Cook‘s travel guides recommended charming routes that connected the Lombard, Helvetian, and Ligurian lands and waters, allowing travelers to discover their wonderful panoramas. From the Grand Tours, we learn that even in the distant past, people loved retracing the roads from our Lombard, Helvetian, and Piedmontese lakes and mountains to the precious Riviera, which leads to the Côte d’Azur.
The proceedings chaired by Luca Sartorio, jurist, founder and CEO of Grand Luino srl, the company promoting the “Lake Maggiore 2030” tourism development program, will begin in the morning at 11:00 a.m. with a round table titled “The strategic role of waterways in the tourism development of Lake Maggiore.”
The afternoon will continue at 4 p.m. with the conference. Simona Fontana, President of the Cultural Association Le Sempiterne, will introduce the day. A session dedicated to the culture moderated by Marco Corradi of Monte Carlo Times, is also planned during the meeting. It will feature the participation of the musician and lyricist Giorgio Conte and Federico Crimi, who will outline the local context of the Belle Époque with new details.
Some representatives from the academic world will also be present – Manuela De Carlo (IULM University), Francesco Alessandria (La Sapienza), Giovanni Besio (University of Genoa), Tommaso Greco (University of Pisa), Gabriele Bottino (University of Milan), Andrea Giuricin (Bicocca University), Alberto Grando (Bocconi University) – as well as others from the associative world, including the President Nicola Salvioni (Locarno-Milan-Venice Waterway Association) and Ada Mascheroni (GIST – Italian Tourist Press Group).
The intention is to give a boost to this border territory within the economic and productive system by building a supply chain that always places each “individual” at the center. This includes a focus on young people, their human capital, and enhancement of their skills.
The Genius of the Place will express itself fully, focusing on the importance of hospitality through high-level training, to provide the keys that will enable the final users to unlock the grille d’honneur of a vast territory, located in the heart of Europe, shining from the lake to the mountains and extending to the sea.
For the development of more accessible tourism, the visionary pioneer is launching routes that can be travelled by plane, involving the heliport of Sesto Calende and the airports of Malpensa, Linate, Agno, and Nice. This initiative aims to reduce distances to Lake Maggiore, while also promoting a sustainable model for energy and transportation systems. Furthermore, the Locarno-Milan-Venice Waterway, like all waterways, serves as a valuable asset for the green tourism, the exploration of smaller towns, and the enhancement of the UNESCO sites.
Simona Fontana
