By Alessandro Santi, Welcome Ashore Italy

Our ports are the economic engines of our communities and the lifeblood for thousands of Italian families.

The facts are clear: cruise tourism employs nearly 100,000 Italians nationwide. Every call to port supports families, pays critical bills and provides the economic means to keep businesses alive and support a better future. Those are families supported, bills paid, businesses kept alive and tax revenues that flow back into communities for stronger infrastructure.

In Italy and across Europe, cruise tourism is an essential part of this story. Every time a ship calls at port, it supports opportunities and jobs for restaurants and vendors in tourist destinations, generates business for transport providers and allows for young people who want to stay and build their careers in their hometowns to do so.

If you follow the public debate, you would not be aware of these benefits. This is because today the conversation is dominated by activists with one-sided views – who would rather turn away tourists than consider the impact on thousands of families. If this vocal minority had its way, the consequences for Italy’s coastal communities would be terrible.

That is why I chose to support Welcome Ashore, a new initiative that is based on the realities of cruise tourism. This impactful group gives a voice to those who live and work in tourist destinations and ensures we all benefit from stronger infrastructure and long-term economic prosperity.

I believe that the future of our coastal cities depends on dialogue and works against the divisiveness that has perpetuated the conversation. With more local voices shaping the agenda, we can ensure that tourism strengthens our communities and helps them thrive.

Welcome Ashore is the right place for that dialogue, and I am proud to be a part of it.

If you share this vision, I invite you to join the conversation. Together, we can ensure that coastal towns and cities across Italy remain open, vibrant and full of opportunity.