Italy's south makes Greece look prosperous

[unhappycamper]

http://www.dw.com/en/italys-south-makes-greece-look-prosperous/a-18642487

Early August brought two tourism-related headlines to Italian papers which, when put together, revealed much about the tragic lost potential of the country’s long-suffering south. Megan Williams reports from Rome.

Italy's south makes Greece look prosperous
Megan Williams
12.08.2015

The first was good news: after several years of a slump in vacationers, tourism was up throughout Italy, especially in the south. In a country where tourism accounts for almost 11 percent of GDP, this is of no small significance.

The second item, which came a few days later, was not so good: Angry tourists in Pompeii demanded to know why the Large Gymnasium - a section of the ancient ruins that had been freshly restored and inaugurated by Italy's Minister of Tourism just days before - was suddenly shut to the public.

Much ado was made in the Italian press about the first story, with the hotel association Federalberghi announcing that tourism was up by 7.7 percent overall, 8.6 percent among Italians.

While the increase could well be the result of record hot temperatures following several summers of rain, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi tweeted the data as "good news for Italy's south," where the rise in visitors was strongest.

[DetlefK]

1. Similar situation to Greece indeed:

Right now, billions are getting pumped into southern Italy, but nothing gets going because corruption dilutes every action. (They used the money for example for such lasting investments as festivals and recording a music-CD with local artists.)

Southern Italy needs what Greece needs: Reforms first, money second.

[MisterP]

2. it's Italy's original sin: 200,000 Southerners killed, leaving it permanently impoverished and in

the hands of the mafia
but at least the peninsula was "reunited," right folks?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigandage_in_Southern_Italy