Riva’s Cultural and Tourism Challenges: Insights from the Municipal Assessor
The issue of culture and tourism in Riva reignited immediately after a visit to the Museum exhibitions during the Easter holidays, which highlighted the very low public turnout. This situation brought to light the problem of the unsatisfactory “tourist productivity” of the Rocca, fueling a public debate.
It was the goal for this issue to receive attention and discussion, which was also reflected in the response from municipal cultural assessor Luigi Marino. He emphasized that he was speaking not as a government official, but offering a constructive contribution to the discussion.
The assessor’s positions
Marino acknowledged that, considering the attendance data of the «Sguardi gardesani» exhibition and subjective assessments, the main theme of the article is a sensitive area for reflection for the Administration and technical staff. Unfortunately, statistical investigations show that Riva’s cultural activities have never been the main attraction for tourists visiting the area.
It was mentioned that the phrase «in Riva, the trivial takes over» might seem exaggerated, but it aims to open a debate that the Administration does not wish to avoid. Marino added that Riva’s «cultural deposit», rich in natural environment and history embedded over centuries, cannot be considered «trivial». His defense lies in the fact that, walking through the streets of Riva, visitors already engage with this cultural and environmental heritage.
According to the assessor, there is a need to push further, as Sergio Molinari did on Easter Monday, who chose to enter the Rocca instead of remaining in the entrance hall. The main challenge is encouraging people to visit cultural sites beyond simple walking or ice cream licking.
Role and future of museums
Marino reiterated that the usefulness of a Museum is not solely measured by visitor numbers but also by its role as a catalyst for research, organized storage, information, and cultural promotion. Managing the territory’s historical heritage is of vital importance, as evidenced by the thousands of web pages drawing from the work of the museums themselves.
In the future, after 22 years of work, the Rocca will be definitively opened as a Municipal Museum. All spaces, including the outdoor park and the keep, will contribute to research and attractiveness.
Projects are also underway to engage visitors through hoteliers, and plans are being made for guided routes in the historic center and museum, with multilingual guides. But above all, Marino emphasizes that the issue remains open and highly felt, as it concerns the characteristics of contemporary mass society.
He suggests that instead of chasing customers attracted by disposable consumer schemes, investments should be made in requalifying the tourism offer, as industry experts have been advising for some time.
Responses and updated data
Finally, Marino answers a question and provides some clarifications regarding the Museum’s data. The last meeting with the Apt president took place on February 27th.
The corrected data for the early months of 2001 are 1,289 visitors, of whom 258 paid, 281 received free entry, 350 came from local schools, and 400 visited the «Piano fascia lago» exhibition. It should be noted that the museum was closed from March 5th to April 6th for work on the staircase plastering.
Moreover, 262 visits were recorded only in the first eight days after reopening on April 8th, and Marino hopes this is the beginning of a new course, inspiring others to come in like Sergio Molinari.
