the new frontiers of tourism in basilicata. film tourism and the case of basilicata coast to coast

September 2011

THE NEW FRONTIERS OF TOURISM IN BASILICATA. FILM TOURISM AND THE CASE OF "BASILICATA COAST TO COAST"

Report on research activities for the project

The Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM) (Eni Enrico Mattei Foundation) is a non-partisan and non-profit institution which carries out research activities in the field of sustainable development and global governance. Recognised by the President of the Republic in 1989 and operational since 1990, the foundation has become a leading institution in the research field, able to provide precise and objective analyses on a wide range of environmental, energy and global economy issues. © FEEM - Document drafted by the Eni Enrico Mattei Foundation "sustainable tourism" research group (Angelo Bencivenga, Livio Chiarullo, Delio Colangelo, Annalisa Percoco) and coordinated by Livio Chiarullo [email protected], FEEM Viggiano Branch research activities coordinator. Eni Enrico Mattei Foundation Via del Convento 16 85059 Viggiano (Pz) - Italy Phone/Fax: +39 0975.350729 Email: [email protected] Web: www.feem.it Legal Headquarters: Corso Magenta 63, 20123 Milan - Italy

INDEX ABSTRACT 2 INTRODUCTION 3 CHAPTER 1. 5 BASILICATA COAST TO COAST: ROLE OF THE COUNTRYSIDE AND THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FILM TOURISM 1.1.Basilicata coast to coast: the film 5 1.2.Basilicata coast to coast: the countryside 5 1.3.Basilicata coast to coast: the film tourism analysis 8 CHAPTER 2. 12 ANALYSIS IN THE FIELD: THE EFFECT OF BASILICATA COAST TO COAST ON TOURISM 2.1.Objectives and methods 12 2.2.The sample 13 2.3.The genesis of the film 14 2.4.The film tourism opportunities for the image of Basilicata 14 2.5.The film tourism opportunities for the local economy 15 2.6.Basilicata coast to coast: film-related initiatives 17 2.7.Tourists' opinions 20 FINAL NOTES 21 BIBLIOGRAPHICAL AND WEBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

FEEM research report - The "Basilicata coast to coast" effect on tourism in Basilicata

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ABSTRACT

Film tourism, meaning the phenomenon which is born of the desire to visit film locations, has been the object of increasing attention in recent years. As some specialised studies have shown, the cinema can undoubtedly represent an excellent tool to promote an area, thanks most of all to the greater visibility ensured by the big screen.

This document presents the results of research in the field conducted with the aim of analysing the effects of the film "Basilicata coast to coast", by Rocco Papaleo, on tourism in Basilicata, after its success at the box office and the award of a number of very important national prizes. The film, characterised by a highly cinematic screenplay and a promotional slant that is explicitly for tourist marketing purposes, can be considered a good example of territorial product placement.

The study, analysing the genesis of the film project, the budget spent, the impacts "recorded" by local tourism operators, and the opinions of tourists attracted to Basilicata by the "Basilicata Coast to Coast" effect, highlights the tourism potential of the film, both expressed and unexpressed, and delineates the need for a role that could be played by a single regional Film Commission able to guarantee dialogue between production and territory and therefore to render effective the opportunities that film productions could bring to a territory rich in scenic countryside like Basilicata.


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INTRODUCTION

Since the end of World War 2, more than forty full length films of the most disparate genres – from melodrama to comedy, have been shot in Basilicata.

the Vulture Melfese area in the northernmost part of the region is admirably depicted by Gabriele Salvatores in his "Io non ho Paura" (I am not afraid).

Films shot in Basilicata

Passannante by Sergio Colabona, 2011 Un giorno della vita by Giuseppe Papasso, 2011 Basilicata Coast to Coast by Rocco Papaleo, 2010 Mineurs by Fulvio Wetzl, 2007 The Nativity Story by Catherine Hardwicke, 2006 The Omen Il presagio by John Moore, 2006 Il Rabdomante by Fabrizio Cattani, 2005 The Passion of the Christ by Mel Gibson, 2003 Io non ho paura by Gabriele Salvatores, 2002 Ogni lasciato è perso by Piero Chiambretti 2000 Terra Bruciata by Fabio Segatori, 1999 Del perduto Amore by Michele Placido, 1998 L’ Uomo delle Stelle by Giuseppe Tornatore, 1995 Il sole anche di notte by Paolo e Vittorio Taviani, 1990 King David by Bruce Beresford, 1985 Tre Fratelli by Francesco Rosi, 1981 Cristo si è fermato a Eboli by Francesco Rosi, 1979 Volontari per destinazione ignota by Alberto Negrin, 1978 L’Albero di Guernica by Fernando Arrabal, 1975 Qui comincia l’avventura by Carlo di Palma, 1975

Il tempo dell’inizio by Luigi Di Gianni, 1974 Allonsanfan by Paolo e Vittorio Taviani, 1974 Anno Uno by Roberto Rossellini, 1974 Il decamerone nero by Piero Vivarelli, 1972 Non si sevizia un paperino by Lucio Fulci, 1972 C’era una Volta by Francesco Rosi, 1967 Made in Italy by Nanni Loy, 1965 Il vangelo secondo Matteo by Pier Paolo Pasolini,1964 Il Demonio by Brunello Rondi, 1963 Gli anni Ruggenti by Luigi Zampa, 1962 La Vedovella by Silvio Siani, 1962 Italia ’61 by Jan Lenica, 1961 Viva l’Italia! by Roberto Rossellini, 1961 A porte chiuse by Dino Risi, 1960 La nonna Sabella by Dino Risi, 1957 La Lupa by Alberto Lattuada, 1953 Le due sorelle by Mario Volpe, 1950 Nel mezzogiorno qualcosa è cambiato by C. Lizzani, 1949

Source: Ciak si Viaggia, APT Basilicata (2011)

Most productions were made in Matera, the cinema capital of Lucania, thanks to the presence of the Sassi (an Unesco World Heritage site since 1993), used as part of a more complex story or as the sole location. Then there are the glimpses in comedies such as "Anni Ruggenti" by Luigi Zampa, "Made in Italy" by Nanni Loy, historic works such as "Allonsanfan" by the Taviani brothers, to productions like "Il Rabdomante" in which the city is the background for the entire affair, and religious films such as Pasolini’s "Il Vangelo secondo Matteo" (The Gospel according to St. Matthew) and more recent works such as Mel Gibson's "The Passion" and Hardwikie’s "The Nativity Story" . Some other parts of Basilicata also appeared occasionally, especially since the 1960s, such as Maratea (on the Tyrrhenian coast) where some scenes of Siani's "La Vedovella" and Dino Risi's "A Porte Chiuse" were shot, or the ghost town of Craco which, thanks to its powerful atmosphere of and

abandoned town, allowed director Francesco Rosi to represent Basilicata from the 1930s in "Cristo si è fermato a Eboli". While the Municipality of Irsini is the backdrop for the Michele Placido’s "Del Perduto Amore", and that the cinema can offer the area. In any case this is an almost "spontaneous" effect, linked to the popularity of the director and the success of the film, rather than to an effect related to initiatives and actions specifically designed to promote tourism in Matera and Basilicata.

"Basilicata coast to coast", is a first experiment in the "targeted" promotion of the territory. Although there is no specific Body to link the needs of the production needs and the opportunities for the territory, Papaleo's film, thanks to a co-planning of the audio-visual product (which involved public and private subjects) managed to trigger a series of micro initiatives which, as will be seen in the following pages, benefited the Region,


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especially in terms of promoting Basilicata as a "product", giving visibility to an area which is still largely unknown in the national tourism panorama. A "positioning" action, even from a geographical point of view, made possible precisely because of the active contribution of local organisations (in particular the Basilicata Region and Local Action Groups) in defining the screenplay and the values/resources to bring out in the film, and in identifying the locations to be used.

The aim of the first step in this study was to assess the film tourism potential of the film "Basilicata coast to coast", and in particular, to analyse the way in which the narrative structure and promotion of the territory were combined.

The study then analysed the benefits in terms of tourism (and hence to the economy) which can be attributed to "Basilicata coast to coast". In parallel, identification and analysis of the film-related initiatives taken by both public and private organisations, allowed us to identify the opportunities that were grasped and those that were not. The last phase of the investigation directly involved those tourists prompted by the cinema to cross Lucania coast to coast, in order to find out why they made the trip and what expectations seeing the film had created.

From the investigation it emerged that the potential of Papaleo’s film has not yet been fully exploited. This study therefore seeks to highlight the weak points of the strategy implemented so far and, the actions that successfully grasped the opportunities the film offered to relaunch a territory, a product, a location. These findings could make a contribution to delineate policy and future initiatives to be implemented in order to allow this production to express all of its promotional strength. In fact, for the film tourism effect to be a lasting one, and not simply a momentary visibility while the film is in cinemas, suitable marketing tools need to be developed, specific promotional actions, an integrated offer which, beginning with the film, is able to trigger virtuous processes with repercussions on the whole of the local economy. In general we can say that the Lucanian scenery has been represented in both positive and negative ways, essentially in line with the trends in Italian cinema over the years: the realism of the 1950s was replaced by the light and often superficial tones of 1960s comedies, to then rediscover an attention to

the countryside in the late 1970s and an eye on the province in the 1990s.

From the perspective of the film tourist, it is only since "The Passion", Mel Gibson's film on the passion of Christ released in 2004 and filmed largely in Sassi di Matera, that people have begun to think about the effects that the cinema might have on the promotion of the Region in a broad sense. The large number of visitors and the international visibility of which the town of Matera benefited (there was an estimated 144% increase in foreign tourists1 the year after the film came out, and in the following years there was a significant increase in hotel structures2) in fact, highlight the opportunities.

1 Data provided by Ape (Associazione Produttori Esecutivi) and cited by Provenzano (2007) page 260. 2 According to an empirical analysis conducted by De Falco (2007), it increased from 685 beds in 1999 to 1460 in 2006.


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CHAPTER 1 BASILICATA COAST TO COAST: THE ROLE OF THE COUNTRYSIDE AND THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FILM TOURISM 1.1 Basilicata coast to coast: the film "Basilicata coast to coast" is the story of a trip through Lucania. Four friends, united by their passion for music, decide to leave Maratea, a beach town in Basilicata on the Tyrrhenian coast, and walk to the "Festival di teatro canzone" in Scanzano (on the Ionian coast of the region). Leading this rag-tag bunch is Nicola Palmieri, a mathematics teacher with artistic aspirations, followed by Salvatore Chiarelli, ex medical student, Franco Cardillo, a craftsman rendered speechless by a broken heart, and Rocco Santamaria, a well known local figure. Joining them is Tropea Limongi, a journalist on a parish magazine forced to follow them to film the undertaking. The trip is dotted with meetings, misadventures, music, local culinary tradition and breathtaking scenery which makes their experience unique. The trip is an opportunity to assess their lives to date, rediscover motivations and file away bad experiences because: “life is a trip which is too short unless you stretch it out” (Basilicata coast to coast).

1.2 Basilicata coast to coast: the scenery One way to explain the success of "Basilicata coast to coast" may be to consider the successful interpenetration of story and scenery in the film. In general, film critics appreciated Rocco Papaleo's attempt to tell a simple story and, at the same time, present a seductive image of Basilicata. The entire film proceeds in pursuit of these two objectives and, in this sense, it would be simplistic to consider it merely a vehicle to promote tourism3 just as it is difficult

3 "Papaleo makes a film which lets us discover the countryside a little bit at a time, but his is not a "calculated" postcard for the needs of tourists or film commission" (Cristina Piccino, Il Manifesto), "Basilicata coast to coast is not a commercial for the region, but a musical comedy, increasingly rare in Italian film, and also

“Basilicata coast to coast”

an atypical road-movie to which it pays homage and makes the most of" (Antonio Valerio Spena, Close Up)

Directed by : Rocco Papaleo (first work) Production year: 2010; Country: Italy Length: 105'; In cinemas: 09 April 2010 Type: full length feature film; Genre: comedy Production: Paco Cinematografica S.r.l., Eagle Pictures, Ipotesi Cinema Projection format: 35mm, colore Cast: Alessandro Gassman (Rocco Santamaria); Paolo Briguglia (Salvatore Chiarelli); Giovanna Mezzogiorno (Tropea Limongi); Max Gazzè (Franco Cardillo); Rocco Papaleo (Nicola Palmieri); Claudia Potenza (Maria Teresa); Michela Andreozzi (Lucia); Antonio Gerardi (Carmine Crocco); Augusto Fornari (Press Agent); Gaetano Amato (Onorevole Limongi)

Crew: subject and sets: Rocco Papaleo, Valter Lupo; music: Gimmi Cantucci; costumes: Claudio Cordaro; scenography: Sonia Peng, Elio Maiello; photography:Fabio Olmi; suono:Francesco Liotard, Tommaso Conti; casting, key grip: Livio Bordone; producer:Isabella Cocuzza, Arturo Paglia; organiser Generale:Massimo Monachini; editing secretary: Viviana Grimaldi; director of production: Francesco Ruggeri Funded by MiBAC (the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities)


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to separate the story from the landscape. If, therefore, aesthetics acknowledges only its simplicity of structure , a certain freshness and good humour4 in terms of film tourism, it represents an interesting work which is open to a complexity of reflections. A first aspect to consider is the screenplay. In fact, a location is not always the inspiration for writing a film. In this case, however, there is a clear choice, from the title onwards, to make Basilicata not only the centre of the story, but also the starting point from which to proceed in laying out the story and the characters. We can say that the development of a simple narrative structure, the use of a plot already present in the history of film (a group of friends deciding to take a trip to rediscover themselves) serve to leave some spaces for the scenery to be visible. In this sense, the screenplay, although skilfully following the stories of its five characters and providing each one with his own space for deeper psychological examination, also leaves some gaps for the director to intervene, modulating music and landscape. It is therefore not simply a question of alternating the story of the characters with postcards of Basilicata, but of inserting breaks in the narrative in order to allow a "Lucanian atmosphere" to be created. In this sense, the musical moments cannot be considered evasive pauses, but rather as a contribution to the representation of the characters and their stories. We must also bear in mind that the landscape presented by the film is "symbolic/metaphoric"5: it plays a fundamental role in the story as it becomes a reflection of the psychology and state of mind of the characters. In other words, the landscape is another character in the story and rather than referring to the real condition of Lucania, it takes on all of the shades of the existential conditions of its characters.

4 "A film full of life, charming, with a hint of chatter and explanatory note, but full of a genuine desire for cinema and storytelling" (Maurizio Porro, Il Corriere della Sera), "a little film which finds its harmonious artistic form with spontaneity" (Alessandra Levantesi Kezich, La Stampa). 5 As a reference we take the division of the landscape of film made by Provenzano (2007) in five different types: invisible landscape, background landscape, space landscape, location landscape, symbolic/metaphoric landscape.

Papaleo himself has reiterated on several occasions6 that his intention was not to represent an authentic Basilicata, but rather to describe an interior place connected with his childhood and, we would add, with the adventures of the characters. The trip which the characters make is first and foremost a personal journey which even though it ends in defeat and disappointment (the group does not reach its destination in time for the Festival), leads them to discover their strong points7. Nicola, the dissatisfied teacher, rediscovers the joy of family, Rocco, the out of work actor, realises that he must change paths, Salvatore decides to get his degree, Franco rediscovers his voice thanks to love, and Tropea discovers a passion for film-making; and the Basilicata which is represented is the soulful place in which this journey takes place. In this sense, re-proposing an archaic and almost deserted Lucanian countryside, rather than perpetuating a common stereotype, is used to produce an almost dreamlike dimension through which characters move. Also it is precisely in the game of mirrors between characters and landscape that the music represents a fundamental glue. The format of the film score is part road movie and part musical comedy, harmonising them in a musical walking movie structured in well defined chapters. Each chapter, or leg of the trip, from the story’s perspective , contributes to progress one or more threads of the narrative, and to deepen the psychology of first one and then another of the characters.

6 "It is the region that I had in my head, not the real one, marked by beat culture and childhood memories. It is the Basilicata of my oldest cousin, who organised mass with an electric guitar and drum kit on the altar, in a sort of counter gospel. It was the 1970s of Easy Rider, it was the south of certain impulses. This is a homage to the land, not only my land" (interview with Rocco Papaleo on 10 April 2010, "Basilicata coast to coast A film showcasing the countryside of Lucania" by Massimo Brancati, Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno). 7 The phrase at the end of the film by Rocco Santamaria (Gassman) is emblematic: "Maybe we haven't figured out who we are, but at least we have figured out what we are not".


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Fig.1 A scene from the film "Basilicata coast to coast": Nicola, Rocco, Franco and

Salvatore play, admiring the view

From a landscape perspective, and therefore from the perspective of promoting the territory, the film gives very specific indications about where it is set, tying it to typical products and traditions8. At the end of each leg, the music is the moment in which the two aspects come together, revealing how essential it is to strengthen the relationship between characters and countryside9. This structure, which in some cases weighs down the story (a sort of dual speed: the continuous "walking pace" of the things that happen and the slowing of the musical accompaniment), is somewhat anomalous for a comedy, which, by definition, must maintain a fast narrative rhythm. Nonetheless, this should be seen in the context of the need to keep united the two spirits that animate the film - narrative and promotion.10

8 The locations which are specifically mentioned in the film are: Maratea, Trecchina, Lauria, Latronico, Tramutola, the Pertusillo dam, Aliano, Craco, Scanzano. The products which are specifically mentioned in the film are: bread and frittata, ”crusco” peppers, Sarconi beans, “gnumaridd”, and Aglianico del Vulture wine. 9 So the planning of the trip ends with the song "L'Americano" sung in each of the places the characters start from; "Pane e Frittata" is sung at the first stop of the trip; "Alba/Tramonto" and "Mariateresa" during the stop at Tramutola and the arrival of a new character; after the Pertusillo dam, the song "Il Calore" performed by Tropea marks her definitive entrance into the group; "Basilicata is on my Mind" in Scanzano after the disappointment of the missed festival. 10 And that might have deceived some critics who used expressions in their comments such as: "Outlandish, fragile and all in all boring little on the road comedy by Rocco Papaleo, making his début. A rambling folly at a snail's pace which forces a smile at its embarrassing lack of humour" (Bertarelli, Il Giornale)

In terms of style, the film is shot in such a way as to reflect the structure of the landscape. Characters and scenery are shot in close ups and long shots respectively.

When the plot is centre-stage, the camera focuses on the faces of the characters, capturing their state of mind, their emotions, while during the trip they make only a fleeting appearance in the Lucanian countryside. If, as we have said, the music is always the start and end point of each part of the film, we must add that the landscape represents the very beginning. Each leg is contextualised through some shots of the scenery and the camera moves more in this instance, seeking to involve the viewer in the reality depicted. We must also consider that in opening the sequence, the countryside generally anticipates and reflects what is happening to the characters. So, for example, the cart on the way toward Trecchina, has colours lit up with the "best of intentions", the sheet of shining water of the Pertusillo dam is a prelude to the love story between Tropea and Franco, the arid fog-wrapped ravines of the Aliano countryside reflect Rocco's abandonment. A final consideration should be made regarding the double perspective of the film. In fact, the objective point of view of the camera is often accompanied by the subjective view of the camera of Tropea, who discovers a passion for filming precisely on this trip. The incursion into the film of images with an amateur feel offers a sort of unconventional guide to Basilicata.

Fig. 2 A scene from the film "Basilicata coast to coast": Tropea films the trip.

Tropea's view through her camera might be thought to symbolise the view of the spectator who, initially diffident and then with more and more conviction, gets inside the story.


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During the trip the characters in front of the journalist's camera talk a bit about the place they are in, bringing personal information and anecdotes alongside the information about the territory. So it is a moment in which the relationship between countryside and story is strengthened, reaffirming a fundamental principle for the purpose of our discussion of film tourism: interest in a place develops if there is interpenetration of its narrative and scenic aspects.

1.3 Basilicata coast to coast the film tourism analysis From the film tourism point of view, "Basilicata coast to coast" is a very interesting film in that it manages to condense an entire series of elements intended to keep attention on the Lucanian landscape without prejudicing the progress of the film. From the title onwards we understand the intention is to perform a branding operation, attributing a philosophy of life to the Region. In fact, inserting the word Basilicata in the film title means associating the stories of the characters with the territory in which they take place. This way the scenic space in which the story is set is not a simple background, but appears from the beginning as strongly characterised and provides precise values. Basilicata is a place in which a trip is taken, from coast to coast, where people meet and reveal themselves. The first scene is relevant from a film tourism point of view, also meeting a practical need: geographically placing a region which is not well known as yet. Beginning from an "extra terrestrial" perspective, the camera zooms in on the Region on a map of Italy and quite literally enters it, as if to emphasize that the metaphoric voyage is supported by a real presence. “Basilicata exists” Papaleo emphasizes at the beginning of the film, and the voyage on which the characters embark can be traced and replicated following the specific descriptions of the legs. The use of the music, the image of an almost abandoned land, the inclusion of characters who bring values11 all contribute to the creation

11 The girl from Tramutola who joins the group is the symbol of the desire for freedom and a philosophy of life based on the carpe diem of Horatian memory; the farmer who hosts them expresses a detachment from a certain cultural approach and an attachment to deep values (instead of watching TV in the evening he looks at his wife).

of what we have called the "Lucanian atmosphere".

Fig. 3 A scene from the film "Basilicata coast to coast":

the itinerary of the trip

The atmosphere of this film is nothing less than an attempt to establish the Basilicata Brand – exalting a life that is authentic and far from our hectic modern existence, honest human relationships, and mystic involvement in a timeless landscape. These are its strong points. Clearly, a representation of a dreamy and romantic Basilicata can be a precious resource in terms of "iconising" the territory and hence for the promotion of tourism12.

International success stories (for example, New Zealand which is associated with the Middle Earth of the Lord of the Rings films) show that film tourism is often prompted by a desire to rediscover the magical atmosphere of the film, getting away from the routine and stress of daily life to experience something new. The use of a symbolic/metaphoric countryside in a film often has the advantage of "impressing" the viewer, but at the same time it risks creating a detachment from reality and presenting a territory stripped of its true identity13. In 12 It is important to emphasise that the representation of a romantic Basilicato is in line with the objectives of the Lucania APT (regional tourism agency) in creating incentives for quality tourism, also connected to the nature and cuisine of the region. It is not by chance that Rocco Papaleo was used as testimonial for the exhibition organised by the APT at BIT 2011 (international tourism exchange). 13 As an example just consider "Io non ho paura", another film shot in Basilicata which uses "symbolic/metaphoric" scenery. Little Michele's story, told by Gabriele Salvatores, all takes place in the immense wheat fields which clearly reflect the path to maturity of the main characters. From the director’s perspective, these wheat fields have all the visual angles (from wide angle to detail) and they fascinate


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"Basilicata coast to coast", however, there is an intention to anchor the imaginary land to the real one. If, on the one hand, the Basilicata represented in the film is a place for the soul which does not take into account its current social and political situation, on the other there are continuous references to real places, typical products and local traditions.

Fig. 4 A scene from the film "Basilicata coast to coast":

a toast to the memory of Carlo Levi with Aglianico del Vulture

wine.

Within the film there is quite effective product placement14 such as when the "gnumaridd"15

prove to be an attraction which proves irresistible, despite the ascetic mission of the characters, or when the "Aglianico del Vulture"16 is used to toast the memory of Carlo Levi17 or, again, when the vision of the Madonna del Sacro

the viewer, certainly leaving some sign in his or her memory, but they are not recognisable, nor are they linked specifically to Basilicata. The notable visibility is thus offset by the difficulty of recognising the countryside, deprived of its identity and characterised as an unspecified location in southern Italy. 14 Balasubramanian (1994) defines product placement as a way of influencing the audience through the paid insertion in a planned and discrete way of a brand name product within a film or television programme. These are direct corporate strategies to influence the public for commercial purposes but they this purposeis not explicit, as it is in advertising. 15 BRolled lamb offal cooked on a charcoal grill. 16 DOC wine from the Aglianico vineyard produced in the Vulture area. 17 It is interesting to note how the wine used in Papaleo's film to commemorate Carlo Levi is, in Francesco Rosi's "Cristo si è fermato a Eboli", the first way in which Levi/Volongè approach the land in which he was confined and it is what is offered to the first person who tells of the living conditions in the south.

Monte di Viggiano helps Rocco understand the importance of the "other procession" (his group of travelling friends) which he has abandoned.

In other words, products and traditions are inserted into the story with a dual value: on the one hand they tie the metaphoric scenery to the real scenery and on the other they meet the need to characterise and promote the territory.

The product placement already happens in the screenplay, amalgamating the products with the story in such a way that they are not outside of the narration, but become a pretext for a funny scene or for the reflection of a character (plot placement). If we analyse the effect on the destination and therefore the destination placement, the choice of an unconventional route that leaves out Matera, a place celebrated by other films, in favour of an inland and less known area of Basilicata, made by Papaleo is interesting. During the film, the characters travel through towns such as Trecchina, Lauria, Tramutola and Latronico – towns which do not have much of a tourism profile on national or even local level, and which have almost never before been used in films set in Lucania. Putting the camera in these places, it is clear that "Basilicata coast to coast" wants to make the most important chance in film tourism its own, the chance to create an incentive for the creation of a tourist destination also through the visibility produced by the big screen.

More generally we can say that the whole film contributes to form that vicarious consumption18 which is one of the most important driving factors of film tourism. Through the story of the trip, the viewer acquires a series of pieces of information on the territory and its traditions, and therefore a prior knowledge of the towns appearing in the film. In this sense the cinema is able to create in the viewer a sense of familiarity with the places seen, significantly reducing the possible concerns of tourists about a trip to a place they are not familiar with. In fact, if Papaleo's film has often been criticised by his countrymen as not showing enough of Basilicata, or of not promoting its real conditions, it is precisely because they did not

18 The term vicarious consumption refers to the sense of familiarity with a destination which has already been "consumed" indirectly thanks to a film and which makes said location more attractive from a tourism point of view to others (Schofield 1996, Macionis 2004). The "aesthetic" promotion allows the location to be entered right away, significantly reducing the worry tied to the discovery of an unknown location (Fagiani 2009).


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take account of the fact that the promotion of a territory is not directly proportional to the duration of the exposure and that narrating the authenticity of a place is not the primary objective of the film. In the case of "The Passion"19, for example, the Matera countryside used to portray the Jerusalem of that time, although visible in only a few scenes of the film, assumes an almost "sacred" value in any event, taking an important place in the story and, hence a significant value as an attraction. On the one hand, the film shows how even exposure which is not extensive, but properly linked to the story and its characters, can have a significant impact on the viewer's imagination and, on the other, how what counts is not so much photographing reality as providing input to visit it. Moreover, it should be recalled that a film can never meet the needs of tourist promotion on its own, but can only stimulate tourism choice. It will then be the task of local agencies to know how to use the cinematographic "fascination" of film to spread an authentic knowledge of the territory.

In order to better comprehend the kind of impact the film had on the "visibility" of the Basilicata region, the numbers on the distribution of the film and the awards it received are shown below.

From a point of view of visibility of the film at a national and international level, it must be emphasised that "Basilicata coast to coast" achieved good success and was distributed all over Italy in about 215 copies, placing it in the classification of the best Italian box office films for 201020. It is important to note that the film industry also showed its interest in Papaleo's film, with awards in two of the major Italian competitions, the Nastro d'Argento21 and David di Donatello22 as best first-time director. "Basilicata coast to coast", was also included in the list of the ten films to represent Italy at the Oscars, then enjoyed good media visibility thanks to renewed interest due to these awards

19 The film tells the story of the last twelve hours of the life of Jesus Christ, from the garden of Gethsemene to the crucifixion and resurrection. Based on the four gospels, the indoor shots were filmed in the Cinecittà studios while the outdoor scenes were shot on location in Matera and Craco Vecchia, a ghost town in the province of Matera. 20 "I dati del cinema italiano. Anno solare 2010" edited by Anica. 21 Award presented by the Italian national union of film journalists to the film of the year. 22 Award presented by the Italian acedemy of film to the film of the year.

and its distribution on the Sky Cinema channels.

“Basilicata coast to cosat” – the numbers In cinemas: 215 copies Viewers: 502,560 (estimated data considering the average costs of tickets and recorded box office revenue) Participation in festivals and collections: 78 Awards won: 35 Nominations: 20 2 Silver Ribbons: best first-time director and best soundtrack 3 David di Donatello: best first-time director, best original song to Max Gazzè, best musician to Rita Marcotulli and Rocco Papaleo, nomination for 2010 best film Golden Globe as best first work Golden Ciak for best soundtrack to Rocco Papaleo, Max Gazzé and Rita Marcotulli Film inserted in the list of 10 films to

The TV début on 21 April 2011 recorded about 241,000 viewers, a good audience if compared to the average audience for satellite television23. The film was placed on the home video circuit with two DVDs, one in classic version (also distributed with the magazine "TV, Sorrisi e Canzoni") and the other in blu-ray. In the first two weeks after it came out, the DVD produced by Eagle Pictures was among the ten most sold DVDs in Italy.

The longevity24 of "Basilicata coast to coast" was also able to count on scheduling on Alitalia aircraft: during the November-January 2011 period the film was shown in the "Made in Italy" film section on B777, A330E, A330 and B767 class Magnifica aircraft (included in a selection of great titles including "Benvenuti al Sud", "La prima cosa bella", "Mine vaganti", "La Passione", "8 and 1/2 )” and on A320 and B767, economy class.

23 It must noted that the Sky numbers are not those of general TV and that broadcasting of the film on different days and all time slots significantly redimensions the effect of the TV début. On average, a very successful film on its TV début reaches a maximum of one half million viewers on Sky. 24 The longevity of a film has to do with the long tail of the audio visual product whose visibility is achieved not only by being shown in cinemas, but also be being shown at film festivals and shows, and on the home video, streaming and pay per view circuit (see Beeton 2005).


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As for its international exposure, the film was shown at Festivals all over the world, receiving numerous awards, as well as being used as a tool to promote Lucania in some Italian institutes of culture abroad, including the one in Paris. Papaleo's film was included in the "Incontri con il Cinema Italiano" and "Incontri con Regioni e Città Italiane nel Principato di Monaco" events, organised for the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy by the Italian Embassy in the Principality of Monaco in collaboration with the Monaco-Italie association and with Comites (committees of Italians abroad). The film was shown on 11 February 2011, preceded by a welcome aperitif with sampling of typical products and wines from the Basilicata Region organised by the Region's Department of Agriculture.

A similar initiative took place on 26 April 2011 at Mar del Plata in the province of Buenos Aires in Argentina, again in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy.

The showing of the film and the focus on Basilicata continued in other initiatives, not solely film-related. These include the round table on "Lucania experience in the technological district of observation of the land" organized in Brussels by the Basilicata Region, at the end of which the film by the Lucanian director was shown, with English subtitles.

The continued attention on Basilicata as a destination also involves other media formats which are not strictly visual, but still stimulated by the film. For example, on 2 April 2011 an editorial entitled "Basilicata coast to coast - a journey through the Lucanian countryside inspired by the Rocco Papaleo film", which described the various locations of Basilicata, taking inspiration from the journey in the film, appeared in the “on the road” travel section of the TG COM website.

The "longevity" which the film ensures to the image of a location is confirmed by the interest shown in Lucania by some travel magazines. In May 2011, following the route delineated in "Basilicata coast to coast", the Basilicata regional tourism agency (APT) organised three press tours for "Riders italian magazine", "Itinerari e luoghi" and "Plain air".


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CAPITOLO 2 ANALYSIS IN THE FIELD: THE EFFECT OF BASILICATA COAST TO COAST ON TOURISM

2.1 Objectives and methods The research in the field carried out in the period between November 2010 and April 2011 was conducted with the general aim of investigating the relationship between cinema and tourism in Basilicata, and specifically, of analysing the effects of the film "Basilicata coast to coast" on local tourism.

To explore in depth the reasons why the film was made and to better understand the genesis of this movie tour in Basilicata, the investigation was launched with some semi-structured interviews which involved Agencies and Institutions which believed in the potential of the film and therefore also provided financial support to the project. In parallel, to investigate the repercussions on the territory which are attributable to the film, all the tourism operators present in the locations used by the film were interviewed by telephone, using a questionnaire. These two aspects of the investigation also allowed us to map the initiatives taken by public and private institutions to use the popularity of the film "Basilicata coast to coast" for tourism purposes as well. The analysis in the field was completed by gathering the opinions of some tourists who, after having seen the film (often accepting tours proposed by domestic tour operators), decided to visit Basilicata during the summer of 2011.

The objective of the semi-structured interviews with the local Institutions was to collect information about the genesis of Papaleo's film and its repercussions on the image of the Region, and hence also on tourism promotion, in a non-standardised way. The technique of the semi - structured interview25, leaving the subject interviewed ample autonomy in discussion, also allowed us to collect information in addition to what was expressly asked, thereby adding information to the overall picture that had not been examined at the start of the study. The

25 Corbetta (2003) defines it as “a conversation for the purpose of obtaining knowledge, stimulated and guided by the interviewer based on a flexible set of questions”

interview was broken down into 4 sections: the objective of the first set of questions was to understand how cooperation between the institutions and the production started, and if the former had played an active role in the project; the second focused on understanding the reasons behind their involvement and, in particular, on the underlying reason for the support, including financial support, given to the film; the third section asked the interview subject to give an assessment of the film in terms of its impact on tourism in the area. The last section sought to understand whether and in what terms the production or the film-related tourism developments had had an impact on the local community.

The telephone survey, used to contact the area tourism operators, was selected both to overcome the problems of physically reaching the interviewees (the survey was conducted during the off season which is frequently when many structures are closed) and because there would be less resistance to granting an interview with this type of contact (Corbetta, 2003). The survey was structured with 12 mainly multiple choice questions, divided into three sections. The first asked the interviewees to express their opinion of film tourism as a possible tool to promote the Basilicata Region and to indicate the most effective tools to promote the use of the locations of the region for film purposes. The second part investigated the tourist effects produced by the film "Basilicata coast to coast" in terms of the image and knowledge of the territory, and in terms of numbers of tourists and hence income for the local economy. The last questions in this section explored any initiatives by the local tourism operators to promote their territory and their activity/product using the popularity of the film "Basilicata coast to coast".

The final phase of the investigation involved tourists who had arrived in Basilicata in the wake of the success of "Basilicata coast to coast". They were asked a series of open questions, to find out their expectations before taking the trip, the image of Basilicata which the film had communicated to them (and how this matched the reality of what they had experienced during the trip), their degree of satisfaction and the strong and weak points of the Lucanian tourism on offer.


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2.2 The sample

Fig. 5: Municipalities shown in the film

For the first phase of the investigation, carried out with face to face interviews, representatives of the Basilicata APT were involved, as well as representatives of the Region (which contributed roughly 300,000 euros to the promotion and marketing of the film, using ERDF26 funds), the managers of 2 Local Action Groups (GAL Akiris and GAL Basento Camastra) in Basilicata (which contributed to the development of the route and the stops on the journey undertaken by the characters in the film), some representatives of the Municipalities used as sets for the film.

For the telephone survey, on the other hand, all the tourism operators in the Municipalities used as sets (or in any case mentioned) were contacted for the film. In particular, operators

26 The FESR is the "Fondo Europeo di Sviluppo Regionale" (European Regional Development Fund). It finances productive investments which create and maintain employment, infrastrcuture, local development initiatives and small and medium business activities, technological research and development and environmental protection, and finances activities in the transport, research and innovation, urban recovery and industrial reconversion and tourism sectors.

running hotels, bed and breakfasts, agritourism structures and restaurants as well as tourism intermediaries (travel agencies and tour operators) were interviewed.

Hotel and restaurant owners (the kind of tourist structure mostly common in the area) made up 65% of our sample. Over 60% of the questionnaires were administered to operators in Maratea, on the Tyrrhenian coast, and in Scanzano, on the Ionic coast (respectively the departure and arrival point for the Basilicata coast to coast group), Municipalities already involved in tourist flows and, for this reason, equipped with a more tourism-related services.

The tourists who arrived in Basilicata through some domestic tour operators specialised in responsible tourism and the walking holiday sector were contacted by e-mail or met directly at the end of their trip. These were people with an average age of 40-50 years and a medium-high level of educational attainment, mostly self-


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employed professionals from Central and Northern Italy27.

2.3 The genesis of the film The information collected from the face to face interviews illustrates how the film benefited, in the concept phase, from significant support provided by some Lucanian action groups (GALs) and various regional bodies. It may be argued that the in depth knowledge of the territory and its resources that these Agencies possess allowed the film to become a real tool for the promotion of the territory, described in its scenic, historical-cultural and culinary characteristics. The GALs28, in particular, participated in the project both because “they believe that the cinema is an effective means of promoting the territory, a tool that is much more incisive than other initiatives taken in the past, which faithfully represents the qualities/typical aspects of Basilicata29”, and because the image of Basilicata which emerges from the film is in line with the ideas of the GAL , that is, “a Basilicata characterised by an alternative way of life, authentic and slow, an image aimed at a tourism target capable of appreciating the rurality of these inland areas of the Region30”.

So, from the statements collected, it emerges that this a film which not only talks about Basilicata but also gathers the voices of the territory and makes them its own, bringing out specific aspects also recognised as such by the inhabitants and operators of the area31.

The regional Agency also grasped the promotional potential of the film, deciding to contribute financially to the project, classified as a territorial marketing initiative. “Promotion of Basilicata through a film is much more effective than a simple promotional advertisement, which can often seem to be self-referential and

27 It should be noted that the two domestic tour operators (Walden -Viaggi Solidali and Via dei Canti), promoters of the initiative, are based in in north central Italy. 28 All six GAL organizations of the Basilicata region also contributed financially to the making of the film. 29 Interview with Domenico Romaniello, Gal Basento Calastra, on 16 December 2010 30 Interview with Ennio Di Lorenzo, Gal Akiris, on 2 December 2010 31 The change of route which Papaleo had initially considered for his characters and which instead underwent variations after having listened to the suggestions of some of the GAL organisations is emblematic of this.

therefore less credible with the audience32.” The objectives were, on the one hand to start positioning Basilicata in the rural tourism market33, presenting it as a destination immersed in the countryside and characterised by values and traditions still rooted in the territory and, on the other, to provide place names and precise geographic information about this not easily identifiable region of Italy (“... yes, Basilicata exists, it's a bit like the concept of God, you either believe or you don't believe» (Basilicata coast to coast, 2010). Therefore the film “represented an irresistible opportunity for the mere fact of having the name Basilicata in the title which went all over Italy, in the major cities on the peninsula34.”

2.4 The film tourism opportunities for the image of Basilicata In general the big screen is considered by almost all the tourism operators surveyed as a special kind of marketing of the area which would allow the image of Basilicata and knowledge about it to be more widespread.

To the question "do you believe that making films can represent a form of promotion of the area" almost all (96.4%) of those interviewed stated that making films can effectively represent a form of promotion of Basilicata . Films shown in cinemas, in particular, are considered an excellent tool to promote little known territories to which symbolic meanings that enhance the specific nature of such areas are often associated, thanks to cinematic storytelling, stimulating strong curiosity in the viewer.

Almost 70% of those interviewed believe that the film "Basilicata coast to coast" had a positive influence on local tourism, showing the colours and countryside of the area and, at the same time, bringing out the specific components of the identity of a territory which is still little known from a tourism perspective.

32 The involvement of the regional Agency was discussed with the "Autorità di Gestione del PO FESR Basilicata" office. Interest in Papaleo's film began after the request for financing submitted by the production house, Paco Cinematografica. The interview conducted on 21 March 2011, involved Raffaele Paciello. 33The 2009 Regional Tourism Plan talks about the strategy to raise awareness of the Basilicata region, transforming its international and national visibility from a weak point into a strong point. 34 Interview with Giampiero Perri, APT Basilicata, on 10 May 2011


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As for the effect that the making and subsequent distribution of the film had on the area, those interviewed stated that the main impact is related to the dissemination of the image and the greater awareness of the territory (40%), followed by the effect on the local economy and the increase in the flow of tourists. So according to those interviewed, one of the main merits of the film is that it promoted awareness of Basilicata and its natural and historical-cultural resources.

Fig. 6: Sectors on which the film BCTC had

an impact

Image and awareness of the territory

Local economy

Flow of tourists Protection and enhancement of locations I Infrastructures

A widely held opinion is that initiatives such as this one must be given incentives, above all to generate curiosity and provide visibility to the inland areas of the region, still in an exploratory phase in terms of tourism (Butler, 1980) but with great resources which can be used to the advantage.

The interviews with the local GAL organisations also expressed the conviction that the cinema can represent an innovative tool that can spread awareness of the territory. Particular emphasis was placed on the potentials related to the speed and dissemination which film products and the different ways they are used guarantee to the image of an area. “The film came out in 202 cinemas in many Italian cities and it was seen by about 700,000 people, not counting distribution through open air cinemas, the

Eagles Pictures DVD version, rented DVDs, distribution on the Sky Cinema circuit and the upcoming airing on Mediaset35». Thus one of the potentials of audio visual products becomes evident: their longevity, or ability to reiterate over time and space the image of a territory and therefore to also promote tourism in the area.

A comparison with other films which have "brought" Basilicata to the big screen is also interesting. An opinion shared by many is that, unlike other film productions which used Basilicata to represent other places (for example "The Passion" in which the town of Matera is used to "speak" of Palestine), by placing the territory of Lucania at the centre of a story (also indicating towns and typical products) Papaleo’s film guarantees greater visibility to the territory, including visibility for the purpose of tourism.

Nonetheless, the image of Basilicata which emerges from the film is not comparable to the image of a postcard or a poster, static and faithfully connected to reality. The story, the characters' adventures, the shots, the music, all enrich the territory with elements, intangible but perceived by the viewer, which contribute to presenting Basilicata as “a dreamy region, suspended between conservation of its authenticity and the anxiety about modern times36.”

2.5 The film tourism opportunities for the local economy Regarding the impact that seeing "Basilicata coast to coast" had on local tourism and the desire stimulated by seeing the film, it is not easy to provide precise indications (as has been said already, it is impossible to identify the relevance of the film tourism component compared to others in the reason for a holiday). However, the investigations show that just under 50% of the tourism operators involved recorded an increase in tourist numbers in their businesses. Specifically, this increase was less than 10% for 30% of the operators, between 10% and 20% for 58% and between 30% and 50% for the remaining 12°%.

“I saw people arrive at my restaurant from Maratea who had followed the route of the film in camper vans, cars, even less known towns of 35 Interview with Domenico Romaniello, Gal Basento Calastra, on 16 December 2010 36 Interview with Giampiero Perri, Basilicata APT, on 10 May 2011


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Fig. 7: Increase in numbers of tourists which can be connected to the film BCTC

Basilicata, such as Scanzano Ionico, were able to benefit from visibility that they had never had before, with positive repercussions for most of the local operators37”

Two questions in the questionnaire sought to verify whether or not the increased visibility of Basilicata and the increased number of visitors traceable to the distribution of the film had also increased the turnover of companies in the territories involved in filming. 65% stated that they had experienced no increase in turnover. Of the remainder, 58% recorded an increase of less than 10%, 32% had seen turnover grow between 10 and 20%, and the remaining 10% stated that they recorded an increase in turnover of over 20%. The structures which claimed to have had an increase in their turnover are hotels, restaurants and agritourism structures which altogether represent about 90% of those who confirm that they had seen benefits, including

37 Interview with Franco Lupoli, restaurant owner in Scanzano Jonico, on 23 March 2011

economic benefits, from the making and distribution of the film. The capacity of cinema to generate economic effects is also confirmed by a Maratea hotelier whose structure was used by the film crew during their stay in Basilicata “I hosted the troupe for about 60 days in my hotel with an increase in turnover of about €60,000,” a significant number if seen in the context that filming took place out of season, in a period in which most of the tourism structures in the area have very few guests or in some cases are completely closed.

Maratea, Scanzano Jonico and Trecchina are the Municipalities where most of the operators who recorded both an increase in traffic and an increase in turnover are concentrated.

This fact can also be explained by the increased tourism visibility of the two coastal towns (Maratea and Scanzano Jonico).

The local Agency and Institution managers, interviewed during the first stage of the investigation in the field, also confirmed the increase in arrivals in Basilicata prompted by the film. “There is a demand for Basilicata in the


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wake of the curiosity stimulated by seeing the film. There are examples of tourism packages sold by Tour Operators and the request from newspapers and magazines (domestic and international) to travel the "coast to coast" itinerary38.”

2.6 Basilicata coast to coast: film-related initiatives Another action carried out during the investigation was to research and map the various initiatives, both public and private, that started in the wake of the film and which represent actions designed to take advantage of the visibility of the territory and the curiosity of the viewers created by the film.

As Di Cesare states (2007), cinema in fact represents a strong motivation to travel in the first stage of the destination selection process, the birth of the desire to visit the location, which then becomes less incisive in the conclusion stage, the stage in which the actual purchase takes place. Therefore the destination must be able to push the tourist to complete this process and must do it preparing a product that meets his or her needs/expectations, at a fair price, that is easy to purchase and is promoted and communicated in an effective way.

Various marketing strategies have been used to promote the film and the territory recounted in the film and, at the same time, to link the film more intensely to the specific nature of Basilicata. On the occasion of the film's release in Italian cinemas (9 April 2010), for example, a competition was launched "See the film and win a trip", the prize for which was a trip to Basilicata, promoted and sponsored by the regional APT, Shell and Total. This was an interesting promotional initiative aimed at transforming the motivation born in the viewer after seeing the film, into an actual visit to the Region, an action designed to strengthen the link between film and territory.

Another institutional initiative, again taken with the aim of exploiting film as the new tourism marketing tool, was the press conference held at the "Borsa Internazionale del Turismo" (BIT) 2011 entitled "Cinema in Basilicata and new forms of narration".

38 Interview with Giampiero Perri, APT Basilicata, on 10 May 2011

Fig. 8: Poster for the BIT 2011 press conference

This event also attempted to emphasise the link between film production and territory. In fact the guests at the opening press conference, included two protagonists of the film (Rocco Papaleo and Antonio Gerardi) which, as testimonial of the Region, had been given the task of promoting Basilicata and its resources in an original and less formal way.

At BIT 2011 the updated version of the "Ciak si viaggia! Location cinematografiche in Basilicata" guide, produced by the regional APT and also containing a “file” of information on the film and the locations involved in "Basilicata coast to coast."

Another territorial marketing tool linked to the film is the movie maps which propose tours which follow the locations of films. For "Basilicata coast to coast" this tool was also prepared, although it was only included with a 20 minute promotional film on Basilicata shot by Papaleo in the second edition of the DVD, marketed in a case also containing the "Post scriptum."

"Basilicata coast to coast in 500s and classic cars" conceived by a Lucania businessman from Scanzano Jonico was original and, above all, not linked to any official initiative: “an initial 50 people signed up to the event, held on 24 October 2010 , but along the 135 km route (departure from Maratea on the Tyrrhenian coast and arrival in Scanzano on the Ionic coast)


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many other classic cars joined the lengthy convoy39.” At the end of the drive all of the participants were given a plaque in memory of the event and a basket of typical products from the territory, including a bottle of local wine, specially bottled for the occasion (the label has photos of some of the towns included in the tour: Maratea, Val sinni, Montalbano Jonico, Scanzano). Yet again, the pairing of cinema and tourism enters in full into the dynamics of development and promotion of the territory and its resources.

Fig. 9: Products labelled "Basilicata coast

to coast in 500s and classic cars"

But the more relevant initiatives for the purpose of our study were those linked to the creation of true tour packages. In fact, in the wake of the film some national tour operators specialising in walking holidays conceived and marketed proposals for tourists interested in seeing at first hand the places narrated by Papaleo's film . "Walden -Viaggi a piedi" in collaboration with "Viaggi Solidali"40 offered "Basilicata coast to coast. From the Tyrrhenian to the Ionian, in the footsteps of the emotions of the film of the same name, for a journey with no schedule in a land to be discovered." The journey from the 2nd to the 12th of June, 2011 leaving from Maratea (Tyrrhenian coast) with final destination Policoro (Ionian coast) was undertaken by 12

39 Interview with Franco Lupoli, restaurant owner in Scanzano Jonico on 23 March 2011 40 Walden viaggi a piedi and Viaggi solidali are tour operators specialising in responsible tourism, both registered with the Italian responsible tourism association, AITR (Associazione Italiana Turismo Responsabile).

walkers who wanted to discover the region and its resources on foot. “I'm always on the lookout for new proposals, ideas and this offer from Papaleo's film was perfect. I couldn't let such a great opportunity get away from me. I didn't know Basilicata very well and thanks to the film I appreciated its specific nature and, above all, I was able to structure a walking trip which partly covers what the group did in the story by Papaleo41».

Fig. 10: The Basilicata coast to coast trip

by Walden and Viaggi Solidali

Another tourist package was organised and offered by "Le Vie dei Canti" (The Road of the Songs). The tour, which already cites Rocco Papaleo's film explicitly in the title, is presented as “a passionate secular voyage from town to town in southern Italy” and listed among the new initiatives in the tour operator’s catalogue

“A trip on foot in the places of the Rocco Papaleo film and along the Tyrrhenian and Ionian coasts in search of natural scenery and agriculture to be discovered at 3 km per hour» was the offer from CamminAmare, a social promotion association specialising in the organisation of walking holidays. A route with 11 stops in 16 days, scheduled for October 2011 all set up completely free of charge and on private hospitality, with the goal of getting to know Basilicata, its people and its traditions at “low speed”.

41 Interview with Alessandro Vergari, Walden - viaggi a piedi, on 4 May 2011


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Fig 11: The Basilicata coast to coast trip by Le vie dei Canti

Fig. 12: The Basilicata coast to coast trip by CamminAmare


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2.7 Tourists' opinions The last part of our investigation involved some travellers who chose Basilicata as their destination after seeing the film and prompted by less usual tourist packages promoted by some domestic tour operators.

We met with some tourists directly, during their journey on foot in Basilicata, and contacted others by e-mail. This phase allowed us to investigate the image and the level of awareness of Basilicata that each participant had before seeing the film (and on how Papaleo's film may have had an influence on changing it), on the reasons which led them to take part in the itinerant trip, and finally on the expectations that each one had when they decided to undertake the tour.

Most of those interviewed had a very limited awareness of Basilicata before seeing the film, often linked solely to the town of Matera. Some of those interviewed had not known the area at all “(I had no idea what it could offer,” “I didn't know it very well, I assumed it was similar to other regions in the south)”. This situation was also confirmed by one of the organisers: “For me Basilicata was, as they also say in the film, a black hole in Italian geography. Little is written about the region and apart from Maratea and Matera, very little is known about its natural beauty and cultural wealth42.”

The film gave everyone the opportunity to appreciate the nature and characteristics of some small towns in the region “(It seemed like a wild and interesting land.” "A luxuriant and green land, a land where time stops.” “A land of very striking countryside).” For many, Basilicata called to mind ideas of a place which is still preserved, where you can live simply, a land which is not well known but which, for this very reason, reserves unexpected possibilities, all yet to be discovered, for the traveller. In this sense the romantic and naturalistic dimension expressed by Papaleo's film seems to have stimulated the curiosity of tourists and promoted a "dreamy" but truthful image of the region. Basilicata is striking because of its tranquillity and because of how far it is from modern frenetic life, also highlighted in the film. “It is a region which made me curious, and which was worth


visiting, precisely because it has not yet been discovered, catalogued, standardised, homogenised43.” The decision to explore this region on foot is linked particularly to the conviction that walking allows one to "experience a territory" and therefore to perceive the places, the environment, the nature and the people one meets with greater force and intensity. All of those interviewed agree in considering all of their expectations more than satisfied “(I found it very hospitable, welcoming and clean. Nor did we have any problems in terms of safety.” “Perhaps much more than I thought it would be.” “It satisfied my expectations)” and they identify the strong points of Lucania as hospitality, the landscape and the good food. At the same time, however, those interviewed emphasised the need to improve the tourism offer both by taking better advantage of the natural resources of the region “(more maintenance is needed and improved signs on the trail network.” “Marking or putting signs on thematic routes to take on horseback, mountain bike, on foot would allow the visitor to appreciate the territory better)” and by promoting the local resources in an integrated way, sustaining and stimulating private initiative. “(It would be useful if local operators created websites involving all the various sectors: food, restaurants, lodging, excursions and in this way offer tourists more structured products.” “I found very few entrepreneurial initiatives related to Basilicata coast to coast. More should be promoted. It's worth it).”



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FINAL NOTES The investigation in the field confirms the role that cinema can play in the promotion of a territory's image, especially if it is not very well known like Basilicata. In fact, it is a region which is still one of the least known in Italy where tourism is concerned (in spite of the rich natural resources, landscape and historical-cultural wealth it possesses) and in which the tourism industry is still in a pioneering stage.

Regarding the impact on tourist traffic, the investigation recorded information which can be considered fairly satisfying. This confirms the complexity of the process that leads a tourist to a destination after having seen it on the screen, and in particular, demonstrates that it is not a process that happens automatically. As stated above , for the desire to visit a destination to materialise into an actual visit, it is vital that management of the destination does not neglect all of the phases necessary to satisfy the demand. The creation of a specific product, adequate communication of the product to the target audience, defining a fair price, and marketing the product are the indispensable steps to transform tourism potential into real economic opportunities for a territory.

The low increase of tourists recorded by the operators who were interviewed can be explained precisely by the lack of themed products linked to the film "Basilicata coast to coast". The investigation highlighted the fact that, if the "Basilicata coast to coast in 500s and classic cars" is excluded, no other significant initiative was taken by local entrepreneurs and institutions.

According to the concept of marketing, a destination should attempt to supply products capable of satisfying customers’ needs through a coordinated combination of services, products and activities, on the one hand, and achieve its aims of economic improvement on the other (Ajay, Kolhy, Bernard, Yaworsky, 1990).

Based on our observations, cinema is an important promotional tool for the territory, which is also in harmony with the current trends in the tourism industry the search for new destinations and innovative products (Plan desarrollo turistico de Sevilla, 2009).

Nonetheless, cinema represents a strong motivation in the first stage of the tourist's purchase process (birth of the desire to visit the location) but then it becomes less incisive in the conclusion stage of the process (the purchase). Therefore it follows that the destination must be capable of pushing the tourist to complete this process quickly, providing useful and detailed information. One of the tools which can be used for this purpose is the internet. In this sense, the lack of film sites which provides information and news on Basilicata as the film set, on films made in the area and their locations makes it more difficult to direct the film tourism interest toward the territory. Regarding "Basilicata coast to coast", in particular, the dedicated web site (www. basil icatacoasttocoast. it) has no links or information on the locations used as sets for the film.

As we saw, the film "Basilicata coast to coast" was also conceived to stimulate curiosity about this region, providing a route which is easy to replicate (thanks to the accurate geographic information), performing an important product placement action for typical products, highlighting some elements as which characterise the local identity as the story progresses. However the only movie map of the film, is not present in all of the DVD editions (the one sold on the market immediately after the film was released and the one distributed with periodicals44 do not have it) and it does not contain references to lodging or restaurant structures in the location from the film.

Other products for the film tourist such as, for example, geo-referenced itineraries which can be used in smartphones to guide the cinema enthusiast along the locations in the film45, are also absent.

The above mentioned items are examples of actions which a destination should deploy in order to take advantage of the film tourism phenomenon. However, to create an effective film tourism product the challenge must also be faced at a higher, strategic level. In fact, the managers of the destination should implement targeted destination management strategies

44 The Basilicata coast to coast DVD was distributed with an edition of TV Sorrisi e canzoni. 45 As happens on visitbritain.com, the British tourist agency site, for example, where the iphone movie app can be downloaded free of charge to discover all of the locations used in films shot in Great Britain.


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aimed precisely at increasing tourist traffic and therefore also the related economic benefits.

In the case of "Basilicata coast to coast" on the one hand there was a major strategic film promotion of the territory in which the GAL organisations and the Region intervened directly both in determining the locations and with financial support, while on the other hand the film was not accompanied along its entire life cycle. So, with the increase in the visibility of Basilicata in Italy, determined by the success of the film and also by some initiatives organised by the Basilicata APT, this was not followed by a similarly dynamic evolution of the offer which should have happened to create products in line with this demand for niche tourism. So there was no efficient private initiative aimed at seizing the opportunity offered both by the film and by promotional actions of the film guaranteed by some public initiatives.

It is nonetheless appropriate to highlight the fact that since many local operators are still unaware of the film tourism phenomenon, the territory, to be able to be pro-active to a demand for this specific kind of tourism, must be involved in advance, and helped to understand the capacity of the phenomenon, and put in place the necessary initiatives to reap the benefits.

The absence of a regional film commission46, the creation of which has been under discussion for several years, has surely influenced the limitations of the integrated (public/private) strategy, of an adequately reactive private sector and of coordination between the local agencies. "Basilicata coast to coast" has re-proposed this with urgency.

46 It is enough to think of the role that the Santa Barbara Film Commission played with "Sideways", a film shot in California which had a very similar structure to "Basilicata coast to coast". The film commission followed the entire lifespan of the film, agreeing the choice of locations with the production company, organising promotional events, involving tourism operators and promoting the creation of themed tour packages (see Rocco 2006).

Rapporto di ricerca FEEM − L’effetto “Basilicata coast to coast” sul turismo in Basilicata

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL AND WEBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

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the new frontiers of tourism in basilicata. film tourism and the case of basilicata coast to coast

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