The actual tourism, but especially that of the future, is slow and local: if someone had told us just two years ago, perhaps we would not have believed it, yet the most beautiful journey is not necessarily the one that leads us far away, perhaps following a roadmap marked by fast rhythms. On the contrary, taking your time to discover a territory, doing it without haste and therefore in "slow" mode can reserve surprises and make us discover beautiful places even a step away from home, small hidden treasures so close, yet far from our usual paths.
Rediscovering these places and savoring their beauty calmly, allowing yourself a relaxed visit, means getting in tune with the most authentic soul of local tourism, the one that in the last two years has turned the spotlight on the many hidden beauties of the Italian territory, giving us pleasure to go back to spending time outdoors after the difficult days of the pandemic. But what does it mean to choose this formula and what value does it have for the national tourism industry? We just have to find out together.
Green, experiential and slow: the success of local tourism
Who has never been struck by the timeless charm of a small medieval village, or by a silent nature trail and wondering why those so pleasant places a few kilometers from home have never caught our attention? It is the experience that we all had a little bit when, after the first lockdown, between borders still closed due to the health risk and fear of new pandemic peaks, we chose to organize the classic holidays close to home.
If in general the summer of 2020 marked the real turning point for local tourism, allowing us to discover that "close" is beautiful and "slow" is even more so, the benefits of this approach to travel and vacation continue to convince, today, perhaps more than two years ago, and there are many tourists who have experienced with pleasure the possibility of establishing an authentic contact with a territory to appreciate its peculiarities in a more direct way.
The emergence of this model translates into new fruitive dynamics, capable of freeing tourist flows from seasonality and enhancing the territories throughout the year. But there is more. Sheltered from frenetic rhythms and travel proposals that are often not very customizable, local tourism favors the affirmation of the holiday in an experiential key. Local communities, typical products, food and wine traditions become the beating heart of an offer that combines the pleasure of discovery with a more intense and in-depth knowledge of the places.
The potential of Italian farmhouses for a new tourist attentive to the territories
Traveling in slow mode then triggers a virtuous circle which, in addition to also economically enhancing destinations that are little frequented by mass tourist flows, responds to the needs of a new, responsible and environmentally friendly tourist. It is not by chance that moving slowly to discover towns and naturalistic areas also means preferring transports with a low environmental impact, such as the train or bicycle and choosing farmhouses and accommodation facilities for your stay that operate in the wake of environmental and economic sustainability. It is precisely the travel choices of this type of tourist that unequivocally sanction the success of a green and slow-paced holiday. The numbers confirm this and suggest new economic prospects, especially for destinations and structures that until a few years ago were considered niche: the data collected by the UniVerde Foundation and reported by Sole24ore in reference to 2020, in fact, highlight how sustainable tourism is considered the safest in the post-Covid phase by 74% of Italians, while 84% of the travelers interviewed consider it an opportunity for economic development.
On this front, Italy is ready to combine its accommodation offer with local tourism declined in a rural key: as noted by the Coldiretti/lxé analysis, the Bel Paese is a world leader in this sector and has 253 thousand beds and about 442 thousand seats at the table. There are a total of 25 thousand farmhouses distributed throughout the territory.
The agritourism formula is the one most requested by travelers who identify themselves with a slow, sustainable and experiential approach to the territories. From this point of view, some cities of art have all the characteristics to meet the tastes and needs of this new type of tourist: an example is Siena which, not surprisingly, is among the first Italian cities in the running to become part of the international sustainable city of art network according to the criteria of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, created to spread the culture of sustainability and social responsibility also in the global tourism system. From this point of view, the city of the Palio is the perfect destination, perhaps choosing to stay at Fattoria del Cerro, to combine nature, relaxation and food and wine. Let's discover the Estate together.
Wine, countryside and traditions: a visit to Fattoria del Cerro
Immersed in the vineyards that dot Montepulciano, in the locality of Acquaviva, Fattoria del Cerro is the ideal stop to live a local holiday and discover the land of the Nobile.
Here, in the historic winery, it is possible to spend a few relaxing hours riding an e-bike to visit the vineyards surrounding the estate, perhaps before a visit to the cellar to taste the Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG produced in the "Riserva DOCG", “Silìneo" and “Antica Chiusina".
In addition to the renowned production site, Fattoria del Cerro also stands out for the accommodation solutions offered by the Relais Villa Grazianella: its 11 rooms overlooking the estate are perfect for planning a holiday, or perhaps a long weekend, to spend immersed in the Tuscan countryside, letting yourself be pampered even at the table by the gastronomic proposal signed by the chef of the Relais. A complete formula to appreciate the authentic face of the Tuscan territory and to discover the beauty of slow-paced holidays.
If you have already had the opportunity to appreciate the joys of local tourism, or if you want to experience a slow travel, Tuscany has everything you are looking for, don't you think?
