Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Handicraft and Agriculture of

SOCIO-ECONOMIC STRUCTURE OF THE PROVINCE OF SAVONA

he Savona province extends on a territorial surface of 1,544.4 sq km and has a resident population lower than 280,000 inhabitants. The population of T the province has been falling for a number of years: the migratory balance is positive, but it is not sufficient to counterbalance the negative natural balance. The fall in population has particularly affected the city of Savona itself, which currently has 62,000 inhabitants.

• Savona is 25th in the national ranking for per capita added value, (22,871 ⁄ in 2003). The composition of the added value sees a 2.8% incidence by agriculture, a 19.7% incidence by industry and a 77.4% incidence by the tertiary segment and other businesses (: agriculture 2.5%, industry 26.6%, tertiary segment and other businesses 70.9%).

Savona area added value Impact of sectors

Agriculture Industry 2,8% 19,7%

Other activities 77,4%

• Overall data on labour force by Istat indicate for 2004 almost 106,000 employed, of which 3,000 in agriculture, 19,000 in industry and 83,000 in other businesses. Among the total 106,000 employed, 65,000 are employees. • According to "Labour force" data by Istat, the unemployment rate has raisen in the last year (from 4.3% in 2003 to 5.4% in 2004). The province of Savona however has the best value with respect to the regional (6.0%) and national (8.7%) average. Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Handicraft and Agriculture of Savona

• At the end of 2004, over 31,700 enterprises - of which 28,091 actives - were registered with the Registry of enterprises maintained by the Chamber of Commerce. About 1,800 are capital companies and over 6,400 are partnerships societies, while the remaining concerns are individual businesses and other legal entities (20,000 circa).

Classification of enterprises by the legal form

Individual concern and other forms 71% Partnership 23% Company 6%

Agricultural enterprises account for the 16% of the total; the manufacturing and construction segments cover the 26% of concerns, also trade represents 26%, while hotels and restaurants 10.4%, transports 3.2% and public and private services 16.7%. Said data underlines the productive diversification of the province.

• Agriculture has peaks of excellence in the district, where horticulture, floriculture and nursery gardening allow intensive resource exploitation and achieve high production quality. Saleable gross production data give a synthetic picture of agriculture in the province of Savona: in 2002, production summed up to 205,117,000 ⁄.

In this domain, herbal cultivations are prominent (78.0% of gross saleable production), because of the high value of plants and flower production (over ⁄ 138 millions). Wood cultivation (8%), zootechnic products (8%) and forest products (1%) with relevant services (5%) cover the rest.

• Productive industry and handicraft, which are connected to a consistent quantity of allied services, are present in the province with the mechanical, chemical, glass,

Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Handicraft and Agriculture of Savona

engineering and building segments, as well as with traditional activities such as ceramics and foodstuff. The manufacturing industry, whose incidence on the production of the province's income is of 19.7%, has in the mechanic segment a primary area, including the poles of automotive componentry and transportation means production, namely airplanes and rolling stock.

• The segment of construction, whose contribution is included in the estimated one for industrial activities, contributes to the creation of added value for a percentage of 8%.

• Also very important is handicraft: over 9,000 production and service units supply high-tech products and valuable objects in the segments of artistic ceramics and glass. Handicraft enterprises account by 24% for manufacturing activities, by 44% for construction and the remaining for services.

Handicraft enterprises by sectors

Building Services 32,0% 44,0%

Handmade activities 24,0%

• The tertiary segment is very strong in the province: it is estimated that about 77.4% of the provincial added value comes from this segment, including public administration. In this context, tourism and trade cover the largest quote, contributing by 22% to the provincial added value. The retail distribution network consists of about 5 thousand concerns, while hotels and restaurants include over 2,800 units. • In particular, hotels are over 760, with more than 32 thousand beds. To give an idea of the role of tourism for the province, consider that it represents almost half of the whole movement in , with absolute values of almost 5 million yearly presences in hotels.

Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Handicraft and Agriculture of Savona

• Transport and communications contribute for a good part in forming the income (about 9.0% of the provincial total), also due to the activities of the international port of Savona - . The extension of the Boselli wharf and of the high waters dock in zone 31 of the Savona basin, the launch in Vado of the container terminal and the ro-ro traffic, the perspectives connected with cabotage and the completion of the North quay for passenger ships, will contribute in diversifying the port making it more competitive, although its traffic for conventional goods (cellulose, cereals, fruit, cars, iron and steel products) is quite good already. Globally, over 14.4 million tons of goods were handled in 2004, with an increase of 7% with respect to 2003. The awareness that the port station can offer important economic development opportunities for Savona, has led to the re-conversion of the oldest and most picturesque part of the old town of Savona, the old quay, all of which is connected with interventions on yacht shipbuilding and environmental re-qualification.

Total flow of the Savona-Vado harbour

30 20,70 20 6,00 7,09 1,96 10 -0,86 0 0,50 -10 -2,30 -20 -30 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

• The province still lacks satisfying communication infrastructures. Communications toward the Pianura Padana consist of a single-track railway that should be restructured, and state roads that should be modernized, notwithstanding the doubling of the Turin- Savona motorway.

Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Handicraft and Agriculture of Savona

The coastline has everlasting problems caused in the far West by the single railway track and the congestion of road traffic, which in the main city calls for a direct connection between the port and the motorway interchange, and in the whole coastline for a coplanar road alternative to the Aurelia state road. The province is also served by the Villanova D'Albenga airport, whose structure is currently being upgraded; this could lead to the expansions of traffics.

• Foreign trade is rather limited for the area; in 2004 imports (2,432 millions) exceeded exports (736 millions) by ⁄ 1,718, due to the impact of energetic deficit. In money value, chemical products are the most exported ones, while the most imported ones are energy products. Our best trade partners are France, as main supplier and receiver of Savona goods, followed by the United Kingdom and Germany. Relevant trades exist also with the

United States and Spain.

• Overall, the province of Savona offers average values for "quality of life". The survey carried out at the end of 2004 by ”Il Sole 24 Ore” ranks Savona at the 35th position in Italy. In particular, our province has a good position for the ranking based on the standard of living, while it ranks among the last for demographic indicators. The positions held by Savona as for "standard of living" and "demographic indicators" reflect the peculiar features of our society. Average incomes of the Savonese are formed for a higher percentage than average by capital gains (real estate and financial) and transfers. The Tagliacarne Institute estimates that only the 57% of the available family income comes from working income (national average is 64%), while welfare and social security transfers contribute to the total income by 22% and the other incomes by the remaining 21%. It is estimated that Savona accommodates 120,000 pensioners, a population that is expected to grow especially if the population ageing process is to continue with the rates of the last years (from 1971 to 2001 the population percentage over 64 years old increased from the 15.6% to the 26% of the residents). Among the indicators pushing Savona high in the quality of life ranking, we find the ones relating to services and leisure. As a matter of fact, Savona, ranks 4th for its mild climate

Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Handicraft and Agriculture of Savona

and its number of gymnasiums, bookshops and restaurant is higher than the national averages.