Minority Council Criticizes Bardolino Tourism for Poor Christmas Event Planning
The minority council group criticizes Tourism Councillor Stefano Tagliaferri. Their complaint is about his poor organizational efforts in planning the Christmas events calendar, especially when compared to neighboring Garda.
Criticism of the Christmas program
“Here we go again,” Damiano Chiesa announced in the City Council. “Our group’s critiques and suggestions from just a year ago during the Christmas season have gone unheard. After 12 months, we still have a meager program.” He followed this with a clear statement before the final remark: “We believe Tagliaferri is not up to the task of being the tourism councillor.”
These are harsh words, left unchallenged by the majority group, so no one defended Tagliaferri. He simply recalled that the Municipality purchased decorative lighting worth 20 million euros and exceeded the initial budget of 38 million euros.
Discussion on funding and collaboration
Furthermore, Tagliaferri noted that “the item on today’s agenda is not the schedule of appointments” but rather the approval and agreement of the Natale tra gli Olivi (Christmas among the Olive Trees) program involving the Region, the Tourist Promotion Agency (Apt 12), and nine Municipalities in the Lake Garda area.
Essentially, it involves accepting the contribution of 150 million euros allocated by the Venetian Regional Council to Apt 12 for events and promoting the Verona shore in the media. With a touch of sarcasm, Mayor Armando Ferrari pointed out that the Tourist Agency invests very little in Bardolino.
“Let’s not forget,” the mayor added with a patriotic tone, “that while our town hosts numerous events in spring and summer, Garda, apart from the fireworks on August 15, has nothing planned. Apparently, our ‘cousins’ have decided to focus on winter.”
“What’s the point of investing millions if, on Sundays, it’s hard to find a coffee or an open bar in Bardolino? Honestly, I don’t feel like committing hundreds of thousands just to see a town lit up for the holidays.”
Problems with collaboration and relationships with categories
“The real issue,” continued Tagliaferri, “is the lack of collaboration with the Hoteliers Association and the Merchants Union. When these two categories were called upon promptly, they showed no willingness to organize events.”
“Building relationships with merchants must be a priority,” reaffirmed Plinio Boni from Bardolino, beyond the two thousand.
“It’s surprising,” observed Francesco Marchiori, “that an administration which has managed the Municipality for six years has failed to establish a constructive relationship with these two groups.”