In his report for the Town executive board, Mr. Gaetano Milano, Sorrento Town Hall councillor for Tourism, has outlined Sorrento tourist trade current picture which as usual has appeared contradictory. He has therefore insisted on the urgent involvement and close cooperation of all trade associations, companies, organizations and single entrepreneurs operating in the tourist business to maximize any measure which will be taken to promote Sorrento image across the world. To that purpose together with ASCOM (Local Agency for the Promotion of Trade, Tourism and Services), a promotional brochure and a DVD have been produced to be marketed in London on the occasion of the next world travel market fair.

Mr Milano has also presented a schedule of events to be held next year including a week dedicated to local cuisine and wine-making trade matched to an exhibition of local floriculture scheduled in May. In June a theatrical review is featured including music and ballet performances. Sorrento Jazz show will take place in July and August while in September Caruso Award has been programmed. A new look will be devised for Incontri del Cinema, the traditional and successful Film exhibition from which Sorrento image has so widely benefited in the past. As concerns this year, in addition to traditional Christmas events, the Winter in Sorrento programme has been devised to be started in November till February 2006. It consists in a series of initiatives aiming at encouraging tourist incoming in winter season at special terms and conditions. To that end 30% discounts will be applied by hotels while restaurants and shops underwriting the initiative will offer a 20% cut on their prices.

Correale Museum will be accessed free of charge and the same will be true for Tarsia Museum. Special reductions will be offered by taxi-cabs and other means of transport and no toll will be requested for parking areas run by local administrations as long as tourists stay in Sorrento. Special allowances will be also applied to Circumvesuviana train and to hovercraft rates depending on whether the town will be reached by train or by sea. The attendance of a free-ofcharge entertainment show has been also included. In order to take advantage of all the allowances mentioned above a special “card” will be requested as issued by Sorrento Administration and distributed by Alilauro and Circumvesuviana di Napoli e Sorrento ticket offices, as well as by parking booths and hotels, restaurants and shops which have underwritten this programme. In conclusion, considering the relevance of the allowances granted, Winter in Sorrento appears to be an initiative bound to success. Thanks to it the town will be helped to restore its old role of a typically winter resort as it was once in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

© Copyright Surrentum October 2005