On Saturday 15 November at 4:30 p.m., the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, and the Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi, will be at the Prefecture of Avellino to present the plans of their respective Ministries for the “Roots Tourism” initiative.
The aim is to enhance the Destination Irpinia brand through a series of structural measures designed to strengthen the province’s role as a cultural and tourist hub, turning the complex challenge of depopulation in its historic villages into a tangible opportunity for economic and social development.
Ministers Tajani and Piantedosi will outline the rationale behind the Roots Tourism pilot project in the Province of Avellino – a strategic EUR 70 million initiative promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Ministry of the Interior.
The project, the outcome of an assessment lasting over a year, has been developed in full compliance with EU directives. It represents an innovative model of integrated action aimed at encouraging successive generations of emigrants – and, more broadly, Italians abroad and people of Italian descent – to reconnect with their roots by rediscovering the places that shaped their family histories. The contracting authority for the project will be the Province of Avellino.
The plan focuses on several key areas of intervention: the sustainable redevelopment of historic villages through the removal of architectural barriers, the creation of energy communities, digitalisation, and the establishment of the “Migrantes” Museum Hub within the former Bourbon Prison in Avellino; the enhancement of the historic and religious route known as the “Cammino di Guglielmo”, a 300-kilometre trail passing through 30 towns across Campania, Basilicata and Apulia.
Further actions include the redevelopment of Avellino railway station as the main gateway to the provincial area, with the creation of an intermodal hub and innovative tourist services; and the revitalisation of the historic Avellino–Rocchetta Sant’Antonio railway line (dating back to 1889), featuring heritage trains, a rail-cycle path, and an integrated network promoting sustainable mobility.
The project will finance pilot actions under Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), particularly those relating to the Cammino di Guglielmo and Green Communities. At the same time, certain strategic interventions – such as the redevelopment of Avellino station and the Rocchetta–Avellino heritage train – are already supported by complementary funds for the design phase.
In a spirit of inter-ministerial cooperation, the Roots Tourism project will be complemented by a further initiative led by the Ministry of the Interior, aimed at improving safety and security in Irpinia’s towns and villages, with targeted measures to prevent and combat petty crime.
