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Tuscan Archipelago >> Economy
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 THE
ECONOMY OF THE TUSCAN ARCHIPELAGO
The biggest economical efforts made by the Italian
government go back to the period just after the end of the World
War II with the launch of the construction and the infrastructure
as a substitute for the closing of the iron and steel factory
in Portoferraio. But the intents were not always appropriate.
Today the economy of the Tuscan islands is based on the tourist
sector, apart from the parts of the Archipelago forbidden for
visitors which have become sanctuaries for research and protection
some years ago. The services and the activities connected with
the tourism are without any doubt the spring of the development
of the Tuscan archipelago and the principal income for its inhabitants.
The management of the accommodations, the restaurants, the businesses
and the services that are offered to the tourists not only makes
the holiday pleasant but also fills the islanders' pockets. |
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The
tourism has become a real industry on the biggest Tuscan islands,
though, fortunately, the intense construction activities of
the 70's ended in time and did not manage to cover these marvellous
sites with cement. Even where the tourism sector has gained
land the islands have preserved the landscape and the typical
architecture, avoiding the construction of a never-ending number
of residence-houses which would have made all parts of the archipelago
look the same. Yet the bars, restaurants, hotels, tourist villages,
night-clubs, discos and play-grounds, built to satisfy all tastes
and any extravagant need of the visitors, are the pumping heart
of the Tuscan islands. But the tourism on the islands open for
visitors is not the only important sector. The shipyards represent
a flourishing industry due to the fact that boats are the main
transportation. The farming has recently regained vitality,
after having been almost abandoned during the first years of
the 20th century. The vine-pest that destroyed all wine-yards,
the emigration and the division of property, the illusion of
easy-earned money from the extraction of minerals determined
the abandon of the farming on the islands, except for Montecristo
where the farm industry has never existed due to the rocky ground.
Here the fishing industry has always been the main activity.
The upswing of the agriculture, in particular on Elba and Giglio,
is partly due to the mass-tourism as the wine production has
increased thanks to the big demand for wines during the summer
months.
So it is possible to say that the tourism has favoured the wine
production. A consortium for the Elba wine was founded some
years ago in order to meet the demand. The Consortium represents
almost 70% of the Doc grapes produced on the island and is now
working on a different wine itineraries known as the "wine roads"
for the visitors who prefer a holiday on the countryside with
wine and food. Another important economic activity for the Tuscan
archipelago is the fishing sector, but this sector lost some
of its importance during the first years of the 20th century
as a consequence of the over-fishing. Already during the Romans,
some Patrician villas had fish-ponds, and the fishermen from
Giglio and Elba were famous in the Thyrrenian sea for their
fishing of anchovies which were preserved under salt. The invasion
of fishermen from other ports caused a reduction of the blue
fish shoals close to the coastline of the Tuscan islands and
a significant drawback for the industry which had been the most
important one for the islands until then. The Elban fishermen
were famous for their skill in fishing tuna. The
tuna-boats had up to 100 people on board at a time, but recently
even these brave old salts have had to give up the fishing and
chose other activities as the presence of tuna has decimated
in the Tuscan water during the last years due to over-fishing.
The Elbans are known for their ceramics. The only tools they
use are their hands and the lathe, respecting the tradition.
But the artisans design new shapes in order to meet the demand
from the interior decorators who can find accents made of precious
refractory clay and volcanic clay that resist cold without breaking.
The outcome of these terracotta jewels depend on the elegance
of the decor and the artisans' taste regarding colours. Unique
and inestimable products with some small defect that shows that
it is hand-made. |
Photos from APT Tuscan Archipelago and Mediaweb srl.
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