Under the ashes of overtourism something is burning. We are talking about Venice. In the tourist Disneyland destined (it seems) for a programmed-entry future, there is an unsuspected movement of growing artisanal realities that have made quality manufacturing a lever to conquer new market spaces.
These businesses risk going unnoticed in the magnum sea of tourist offerings. At a closer look, however, these businesses move in a different direction. Some start with tradition but rework it into contemporary products such as Martina Vidal with Burano lace or innovative training paths such as Gloria Rogliani with Venetian rowing. Others focus on sustainability and want to reduce their environmental impact by repurposing existing garments like Ramosalso or launch new neighborhood outlets focusing on reducing packaging and proposing a short supply chain like the Rimani store. Still others use their creativity to make uniquely designed custom-made eyewear like Micromega or focus on recycling glass scraps and using them as basic materials for 3D printers like Rehub. Not to mention Wetlands, a new generation publisher, which has launched a reflection on Venice and its sustainability through its ad hoc line of books. We could go on and on.
Many of these productions are aimed not at distracted tourists but at discerning consumers, often including local ones. The proposal is based on manufacturing quality and environmental sustainability. These are businesses that want to take care of (not just exploit) the place in which they were born and intend to help regenerate it.
This is a challenge that we feel is very close to our heartstrings as Benefit societies. Thanks to the commitment of the Venice Foundation, which has believed in the Upskill Venice project, we think we can contribute to the further development of these entrepreneurial realities by involving ITS students and working with digital technologies to identify new, more sustainable and resilient growth models.
We think that in addition to helping individual businesses, this project has the ambition of developing a shared platform capable of bringing together all those operators who move outside of business as usual tourism.