Culture and Tourism Regional Case Study PUGLIA (Italy)
Work Package 9
Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Cohesion Fund (CF)
June 2015 1 October 2015 Authors: Flavia Pesce and Davide Barbieri Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
EUROPEAN COMMISSION Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy Directorate B - Policy Unit B.2 Evaluation and European Semester Contact: Violeta Piculescu E-mail: [email protected] European Commission B-1049 Brussels
October 2015 2 Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Cohesion Fund (CF)
Work Package 9: Culture and Tourism - Case Study Puglia Region (Italy)
Contract: 2014CE16BAT034
October 2015 3 Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
Work Package 9: Culture and Tourism
Case Study; Puglia Region, Italy
This report is the main part of the regional case study for the Puglia region of Italy carried out as part of the ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007- 2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Cohesion Fund (CF).
Authors: Flavia Pesce and Davide Barbieri(IRS).
Date: 15th October 2015
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Table of contents
FORWARD ...... 7
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...... 9
1 THE REGIONAL CONTEXT ...... 11
1.1 The geo-institutional context in the region...... 11
1.2 Socio-economic development and trends for the tourism and culture sectors...... 11
2 THE REGIONAL ERDF 2007-2013 STRATEGY IN THE CULTURE AND TOURISM SECTORS ...... 15
2.1 Rationale and objectives of the regional strategy in the tourism and culture sectors . 15
2.2 The main elements of the ERDF interventions in the tourism and culture sectors...... 19
2.3 Governance and supportive features of the ERDF strategy in the tourism and culture sectors: main actors, process phases and procedures...... 25
3 EFFECTIVENESS AND SUSTAINABILITY OF THE STRATEGY: OUTPUTS AND RESULTS...... 35
3.1 Measuring achievements: the monitoring and evaluation system in place...... 35
3.2 Outputs achieved ...... 36
3.3 Results achieved ...... 40
4 CONCLUSIONS AND LESSONS LEARNED ...... 47
REFERENCES ...... 49
APPENDIX...... 51
ANNEX 1: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO THE MAIN REPORT ...... 52
ANNEX 2: STATISTICAL DATA ...... 64
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List of abbreviations
AFC Apulia Film Commission AIR Annual Implementation Report CETS European Chart for Sustainable Tourism CF Cohesion Fund DG REGIO Directorate General for Regional and Urban Policy EC European Commission ECSs Environmental and Cultural System(s) ERDF European Regional Development Fund EU European Union FAS Underused Areas Fund GAL Local Action Group GDP Gross Domestic Product H&R Hotels and Restaurants ICTs Information and Communication Technologies ISTAT National Statistics Office LTSs Local Touristic System(s) MA Managing Authority MGL Multi-Level Governance MIBACT Ministry for the Heritage, Cultural Activities and Tourism OP Operational Programme PAC National Cohesion Plan PAIn Interregional Implementation Programme for the South PISs Sectoral Integrated Programme(s) PITs Integrated Territorial Programme(s) POIn Interregional Operative Programme PTSs Product Touristic System(s) RL Regional Law ROP Regional Operational Programme RTP Regional Touristic Promotion Agency TPAs Tourism Promotion Agenc(ies) TPAs Touristic Promotion Agency(ies) TTSs Territorial Tourism System(s)
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Forward
The European Commission, Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) is undertaking an ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Cohesion Fund (CF) during the period 2007-2013 in regions covered by the Convergence, Regional Competitiveness & Employment and European Territorial Cooperation objectives in 28 member states. Within this framework, the Consortium IRS-CSIL-CISET-BOP has been selected to undertake the ex post evaluation on ‘Culture and Tourism’ (Work Package 9). An important element within the exercise is a series of case study analyses of NUTS2 regions covering interventions co-financed by ERDF during the 2007-13 programming period.
This report provides the results of a detailed case study of the use of ERDF in culture and tourism policy pursued in the Puglia region of Italy during the 2007-13 programming period. The Puglia ERDF regional operational programme (ROP) represents an interesting regional case study given the scale of ERDF investment in tourism, culture and creativity in recent years both from a governance perspective and given the importance of the tourism and cultural strategy for the region. The core of Puglia integrated strategy consists in a series of actions focused on the development of local systems designed to diversify the tourist offer and improve regional attractiveness through the integration of tourism, natural and cultural resources. From the cultural point of view, the Puglia strategy was based on an integrated policy supporting both the production chains of the creative industries as well as the industries themselves. In addition, the strategy sought to engage several institutional actors which are involved within the sector. The strategy sought to create added value by integrating the two elements and by stimulating innovative actions (for example in the creative industries).
The case study analysis has been based upon the following:
• desk-based analysis of relevant statistical and socio-economic data sourced from Eurostat, the Italian National Statistics Office (ISTAT) and Puglia’s Regional Observatory on Tourism; • desk-based analysis of documents relating to the programming period and covering items such as Operational Programme (OP) materials, Annual Implementation Reports (AIRs) and various other regional reports and documents; • a programmes of semi-structured interviews with thirteen interviewees. These include senior members of the Managing Authority (MA), local authorities, evaluators, policy makers, and experts implementing specific projects (Table A1 in the Appendix sets out the names and contact details of the interviewees). The interviewees were chosen on the basis of a ‘snowball’ methodology starting with the President of the Public Investment Regional Evaluation Unit – Puglia Region, combined with a desk-based analysis of the key documents. The purpose of this approach was to identify individuals who have played key roles in the programme and/or who have deep institutional knowledge of the programme processes and strategies.
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Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
Executive summary
The ERDF Operation Programme for Puglia Region through its dedicated Axis (Axis IV) specifically addressing the ‘Enhancement of natural and cultural resources for attraction and development’ and two Lines of Activity within Axis VI (“Competitiveness of productive systems and employment”), allocated Euro 451 million for operations in the fields of tourism and culture. This comprises about 10.7% of the total value of the programme.
The heart of Puglia’s strategy on tourism and culture is based on the strengthening of regional competitiveness through the closer coordination (‘valorisation’) of the different components of regional and local attractiveness, together with the setting up of specific new participative models of governance in the two sectors.
The underlying rationale of the ERDF strategy for culture and tourism comprises the following specific aspects. For culture, the rationale is based upon addressing the market failures which typically characterize the production and consumption of cultural goods; enhancing the attractiveness of places; promoting culture as a place-branding and tourism attractor; strengthening the positive socio-economic effects associated with cultural goods and activities; and stimulating the role of culture in generating employment and building competitive advantage. For tourism, the rationale is based upon reducing seasonality via tourism promotion; promoting a more equal distribution of tourism development and destination competitiveness by stimulating a more widespread growth of tourism including in less popular areas and the marketing/promotion of less developed tourism products; and stimulating and supporting employment and sustainable economic growth.
The Puglia Region government is the ERDF ROP Managing Authority (MA). To implement specific interventions relating to the various different ROP Axes, a series of Intermediate Bodies were established. Of these, Puglia Sviluppo SpA is the company house in the Puglia region that acts as an Intermediate Body for the management of business incentives, including those most relevant to this study delivered through Axis VI with regard to Lines of Action 6.1.9 and 6.1.10.
The monitoring system in place in the region reports only on limited aspects of the achievements of the OP and is focused on implementation indicators (e.g. number of projects, expenditure). It is structured at the Axis level and provides partial evidence at the Lines of Activity level and also for certain specific typologies of interventions.
According to the latest available data, Axis IV has had a good level of implementation to date. Many achievements have already comfortably exceeded their original ROP targets. The number of financed projects at December 2014 exceeded the overall target and Line of Activity 4.2 (Protection, enhancement and management of the cultural heritage) had already exceeded its target in terms of projects completed as early as 2013. Axis IV had a total financial allocation of Euro 352 Million. The certified expenditure at December 2014 reached over Euro 320 Million, representing the 80.3% of the total.
As for Axis VI, a total of 244 firms were allowed to receive grants under Line of Activity 6.1.9 and 11 integrated programmes were financed under Line of Activity 6.1.10 (involving 32 firms). In the case of Axis VI, the level of certified expenditure at the end of 2013 was not as positive as for Axis IV. The shortfall was particularly large for Line of Activity 6.1.10. This Line of Activity targets assistance at consortiums of firms rather than at individual firms. However, it should be noted that the expenditure rate for this Line has accelerated during the last year.
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Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
1 The regional context
1.1 The geo-institutional context in the region
Puglia is one of the EU’s Convergence Objective Italian Regions, situated in the south- eastern part of Italy in the so called Mezzogiorno area1. Its southern portion is known as Salento, a peninsula which forms the high ‘heel’ on the ‘boot’ of Italy. The region comprises 19,345 km² (7,469 square miles), and it is bordered by the other Italian regions of Molise to the north, Campania to the west, and Basilicata to the southwest. Bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Otranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. It neighbours Greece and Albania, across the Ionian and Adriatic Seas respectively. This strategic position, combined with over 800 kilometers of coastline, has shaped the region’s history and development, and has influenced its strategy on culture and tourism.
A wide variety of cultural resources exist in the region. These include museums and art galleries, libraries, a circuit of castles and fortifications (coastal towers, palaces and grand residences; churches, and various ‘Cities of Art’, numerous archaeological sites and parks (e.g. Lucera and Egnazia) and three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Frederick of Hohenstaufen’s Castel del Monte, the famous courtyard houses called Trulli of Alberobello, and the Sanctuary of Monte Sant’Angelo.
Puglia also already hosts many different events which are designed to enhance the historical and cultural traditions of the region. These include the Carnival at Putignano, the Daunia Carnival, the Night of the Taranta.. Puglia is one of the 20 Administrative Regions of Italy which, together with the municipal and provincial/metropolitan government bodies, constitute the administrative infrastructure of the nation. The capital of the region is Bari, which is also one of the nine Metropolitan Areas designated by the national government2.
1.2 Socio-economic development and trends for the tourism and culture sectors
Being part of the Mezzogiorno, Puglia shares with other southern Italy regions similarities which are not only geographical in nature, but also in terms of their social and economic structures. The regions comprising the Mezzogiorno all lag behind the northern Italian regions in terms of their socio-economic development, despite having sometimes registered faster catch-up periods from time to time across the years.
As Table 1.1 below shows, Puglia has a population of more than four million inhabitants. The level of educational achievement measured as percentage in tertiary education, even though it increased in the period 2007-2013, is still below the Italian and the European averages (by respectively 3.1 and 15.3 percentage points). Between 2007 (just before the financial crisis) and 2013 there was a large increase in the unemployment rate (of some 8.6 percentage points). The region’s employment rate remains below 50%, lower than both the Italian and the EU averages, but with a decrease (-4.4%) between 2007 and 2013 showing that the economic crisis hit hard in
1 The Mezzogiorno includes the following Italian regions: Abruzzo, Puglia, Basilicata, Campania, Calabria, Molise, Sicily and Sardegna. 2 Named after government undersecretary Graziano Del Rio, a recent reform (law 56/2014) has abolished the Provinces and established new Metropolitan Areas. Bari became a Metropolitan Area in December 2014.
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the region. Puglia is also characterised by lower GDP per capita values than the Italian and EU averages.
Table 1.1. A general overview of the social and economic conditions of the region3
Puglia Italy EU ∆ ∆ ∆ 2007- 2007- 2007- 2013 2007 2013 2013 2007 2013 2007 2013 2013 (% or (% or (% or pp ) pp ) pp) Total population (million) 4.03 4.1 0.5 % 58.2 59.7 2.5% 498.4 507.2 1.8% Population education level (% of tertiary educated Level 5-6) 11.2 13.2 2.0 pp 13.6 16.3 2.7 pp 23.5 28.5 5.0 pp GDP per inhabitant (PPS, Index Number EU=100)* 69 67 -2 pp 104 102 -2 pp 100 100 0 pp Total employment rate (15-64) (%) 46.7 42.3 -4.4 pp 58.7 55.6 -3.1 pp 65.2 64 -1.2 pp Total unemployment rate (15 and over) (%) 11.2 19.8 8.6 pp 6.1 12.2 6.1 pp 7.2 10.8 3.6 pp People at risk of poverty or social exclusion (%) 41.0 43.3 2.3 pp 26.0 28.4 2.4 pp 24.4 24.5 0.1 pp NEET (not in employment, education or training) rate 15-24 (%) 23.5 28.2 4.7 pp 16.1 22.2 6.1 pp 10.9 13.0 2.1pp Source: Eurostat (Regional Statistics). Note: Variations (∆ 2007-2013) are expressed in percentage variation between two years (%) when figures are expressed in values (as for total population), and in pp (percentage points) when they are referred to indicators already expressed in % (i.e. total employment rate).
Despite these adverse socio-economic characteristics, Puglia is considered the most dynamic region in Southern Italy. It has also recently exhibited a positive interaction between its traditional historical productive sectors and modern innovation and technology. As a result, it has attained a reasonable level of expertise and development in many of its key economic sectors. In recent years there has been a transition from an economy based predominantly on the primary sector to an economy which includes (some) big manufacturing activities, a significant number of SMEs, and a lively tertiary sector which supports the local economy. Both the culture and tourism sectors have been an integral part of this process representing an important asset for regional economic growth through the exploitation of the cultural heritage, events and creativity4.
Tables 1.2A and 1.2B below provide a general statistical overview for the tourism and culture sectors5. It should be noted that as part of the Interim Report analysis, a cluster analysis was undertaken of all EU regions. Puglia was revealed to be a member of cluster 46 which comprises (mainly Mediterranean) regions for which the tourism sector is very important. In these regions, the incidence of tourism employment is higher than the EU27 average (6.2% vs 4.4%). The number of establishments per 1,000 inhabitants in the tourism sector is also higher (2.7 vs 1.0). These regions also have a lower percentage of nights spent by non-residents than the EU27 average (35% vs 44%).
Table 1.2A shows that Puglia is very much a core member of cluster 4 in terms of its
3 The same table with data disaggregated by sex is included in the Appendix. 4 See Montalbano P., Palumbo F., and Valentino P.A (2014), ‘Culture and creativity as drivers for local sustainable economic development’, Project Wealth Local Sustainable Economic Development Research Group Working Papers, ENPI CBC Mediterranean Sea Basin, online paper. 5 More specific data are provided in the Statistical Annex. 6 See on this, Culture and Tourism Work Package 9, Interim Report, June 2015.
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main features. The share of tourism in regional economy (measured in terms of GDP) increased nearly 5 percentage points during the period 2007-2013, while for both Italy and EU the change in the same period was equal to zero. This increase was also accompanied by an increase of the percentage of workers employed in the tourism sector (+1.3%) and in the numbers of business local units in tourism (+0.7%). In all cases Puglia achieved a better performance than both Italy and the wider EU.
In recent years Puglia has acquired an important position as a tourist destination not only for ‘classical’ domestic tourist inflows, but also for international tourists. Between 2007 and 2013 an increase of 17.8 percentage points in the total numbers of tourists staying (in terms of arrivals at tourist accommodation facilities) per 1,000 inhabitants was registered. The figure is more than triple of the value registered for Italy as a whole (5.4 p.p.), and it is even above to the EU-28 average for the same period (14.7 p.p.). In terms of total numbers of nights spent in tourist accommodation (‘presences’) per 1,000 inhabitants, the registered increase reached 16.9 p.p. by 2013 (with respect to 2007). By comparison, Italy’s figure was -0.9 p.p., and Puglia again exceeded the overall EU-28 growth rate of 10.6 p.p. Most notably, the international component in terms of arrivals increased by 45.6%, and in terms of presences in tourism establishments (nights spent) the increase was even higher, reaching 52.8%.
As a consequence, the net occupancy rate of bed-places also increased in the 2007- 2013 period by 0.5 p.p. in comparison to negative values for both Italy and EU.
Turning to the culture sector where data are much more limited, the picture which emerges is that of a slower development than in the tourism sector. The number of workers employed in the culture sector increased by only 0.1 percentage points between 2007 and 2013, while the number of local business units in the culture sector experienced a decrease of 0.1 percentage points. However, it should be noted that this situation is quite similar to both the one for Italy as a whole and for the wider EU.
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Table 1.2A. A general overview of the tourism sector
Puglia Italy EU ∆ 2007- ∆ 2007- ∆ 2007- 2007 2013 2013 (% 2007 2013 2013 (% 2007 2013 2013 (% or pp) or pp) or pp) The share of tourism in the regional economy (measured in terms of GDP) (%)* 3.4 8.3 4.9 pp 4.2 4.2 0.0 pp 3.2 3.2 0.0 pp Percentage of workers employed in the tourism sector (%)** 4.3 5.6 1.3 pp 5 5.6 0.6 pp 4.2 4.5 0.3 pp Local business units in tourism (as proportion of total local units) (%)*** 7.6 8.3 0.7 pp 7.9 8.4 0.5 pp 8.5 8.4 -0.1 pp Total arrivals at tourist accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants 668 787 17.8% 1,651 1,740 5.4% 1,507 1,729 14.7 % Total nights spent by residents and non residents per 1,000 inhabitants 2,821 3,298 16.9% 6,370 6,313 -0.9% 4,707 5,208 10.6 % Net occupancy rate of bed places**** 33.3 33.8 0.5 pp 40.9 40.5 -0.4 pp 42 41.3 -0.7 pp ADDITIONAL INDICATORS FOR PUGLIA Arrivals at tourist accommodation establishments (total) (million) 2.7 3.2 18.3% 96.2 103.9 8.0% 751.3 876.9 16.7% Arrivals at tourist accommodation establishments (non-residents) (million) 0.4 0.6 45.6% 42.9 50.3 17.2% 257.7 323.2 25.4% Nights spent at tourist accommodation establishments (total) (million) 11.5 13.4 16.4% 376.6 376.8 0.04% 2,352.0 2,641.5 12.3% Nights spent at tourist accommodation establishments (non-residents) (million) 1.6 2.4 52.8% 163.5 184.8 13.0% 1,007.8 1,192.1 18.3% Source: Eurostat, Regional Statistics. * IPRES - Istituto Pugliese di Ricerche Economiche e Sociali. For Italy and EU-28: Gross value added (at base year prices), % of all NACE Activities of I-Accommodation and food service activities, and N79 - Travel agencies, tour operator reservation services and related activities. ** 2008 instead of 2007. *** 2008 instead of 2007; 2012 instead of 2013. For tourism we have included: I-Accommodation and food service activities, and N79 - Travel agencies, tour operator reservation services and related activities. **** 2012 instead of 2007. Note: Variations (∆ 2007-2013) are expressed in percentage variation between two years (%) when figures are expressed in values (as for total population), and in pp (percentage points) when they are referred to indicators already expressed in % (i.e. total employment rate). Table 1.2B. A general overview of the culture sector
Puglia Italy EU ∆ 2007- ∆ 2007- ∆ 2007- 2007 2013 2013 (% 2007 2013 2013 (% 2007 2013 2013 (% or pp) or pp) or pp) The share of culture in the regional economy (measured in terms of GDP) (%)* n.a. n.a. n.a. 2.0 2.1 0.1 pp 2.6 2.6 0 pp Workers employed in the culture sector (%)** 0.9 1 0.1 pp 1.5 1.7 0.2 pp 2.3 2.3 0 pp Local business units in culture (as proportion of total local units) (%)*** 1.8 1.7 -0.1 pp 1.7 1.6 -0.1 pp 2.0 2.0 -0.1 pp Source: Eurostat, Regional Statistics. * For Italy and EU-28: Gross value added (at base year prices), % of all NACE Activities of 59 - Motion pictures, video and television programme production, sound recording and music publishing activities; 60 - Programming and broadcasting activities; 90 - Creative, arts and entertainment activities; 91 - Libraries, archives, museum and other cultural activities; and 93 - Sports activities and amusement and recreation activities. ** 2008 instead of 2007. *** 2008 instead of 2007; 2012 instead of 2013. For culture we have included: J58 - Publishing activities; J59 - Motion pictures, video and television programme production, sound recording and music publishing activities; J60 - Programming and broadcasting activities; and G476 - Retail sale of cultural and recreation goods in specialised stores. Note: Variations (∆ 2007-2013) are expressed in percentage variation between two years (%) when figures are expressed in values (as for total population), and in pp (percentage points) when they are referred to indicators already expressed in % (i.e. total employment rate).
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2 The regional ERDF 2007-2013 strategy in the culture and tourism sectors
2.1 Rationale and objectives of the regional strategy in the tourism and culture sectors
The Tourist Triennial Regional Programme of the Puglia Region is the reference document setting up the regional policy framework for tourism. Even though this was specifically focussed on tourism, the Triennial Programme follows an approach that closely interlinks tourism with culture7. It also seeks to integrate other policy fields that may be drawn upon to support Puglia’s position in international markets. The Triennial Programme outlines trajectories for both growth and investment priorities but does not provide resources for project financing. The Programme assumes that all available financial resources (both at European and national level) will be brought to bear by the regional authorities to put in practice the policy framework directives (see Table 2.3 at the end of this section for further details).
The regional policy framework embedded in the Triennial Programme is based upon overcoming two key challenges. The first of these is that although Puglia is characterised by a cultural heritage with exceptional civil and religious architecture, museums, libraries and historic archives, as well as by excellent natural assets and ethno-anthropological traditions, these have until now been used in only a limited way to stimulate tourism. The second of these challenges is that interventions until now have been scattered and fragmented. There has also been and a lack of sufficient private investment capital. The latter is mainly due to the small size of tourist establishments and their fragmentation. Moreover, the management of cultural goods has been carried out at the national level, mainly with the aim of conservation rather than of development. This too has limited the involvement of private investment capital.
The underlying rational of the new regional policy framework on tourism is thus related to the need to strengthen the attractiveness of the region in order to generate higher rates of growth. This was to be achieved by integrating tourist promotion with interventions which protect the cultural heritage, cultural assets and local ecosystems, while developing also new forms of cultural creativity8. This overall general objective was to be pursued through the identification of specific objectives characterized on the one hand by a consolidation of the results achieved in previous years in terms of restoration and conservation of cultural heritage, and on the other hand by re- positioning Puglia on international markets through an approach based on:
the development of an integrated system of policies connected with tourism;
7 In 2005, anticipating a national process, both culture and tourism competences were allocated to a single Policy Councillor in the newly-elected regional government. This has resulted in a clearer political will in the development of these sectors to increase regional attractiveness and growth. This political will was later strengthened by the drafting of regional laws specifically aimed at reorganising the governance system and the creation of a clearer overall approach towards culture and tourism policies. 8 See on this, ‘Nota metodologica per la definizione della procedura di integrazione attiva territoriale e l’implementazione di sistemi ambientali e culturali regionali’, P.Montalbano e F. Palumbo, 2013 (internal regional document).
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an improved quality of the tourist offer so that an adequate level of service can be maintained even in the face of an increase in demand; the de-seasonalization and the diversification of the offering; the development of a higher quality and more sustainable supply of local cultural and environmental heritage assets by strengthening cultural offerings throughout the territory; the restoration of the architectural heritage and key monuments; the strengthening of the network of museums, libraries, historical archives, and theatres; the development of promotional and enhancement activities for the cultural heritage, greater investment in marketing actions, and the stronger promotion of the image of Puglia’s cultural heritage and of the hospitality of the region; and the reorganisation of the system of governance and the implementation of new forms of interaction and partnership between the different stakeholders (public and private) that operate in the territory and can contribute to making it more attractive and competitive (see Section 3.3 below for detail of these changes). Within this wider strategy, the 2007-2013 ERDF Regional Operational Programme (ROP) played an important role. The new regional approach introduced by the Triennial Programme for tourism became integrated into the ERDF regional development strategy and tourism became one of the regional ‘drivers’ of economic activity for both employment growth and the overall economic development of the region.
Table 2.1 below summarises the ERDF programme’s rationale for culture and tourism in Puglia in terms of the main rationales for public financial support to culture and tourism identified in Task 1 of the study (see Interim Report).
Table 2.1. ERDF ROP rationale for culture and tourism in Puglia
Rationale for culture Rationale for tourism (i) addressing the market failures which typically (i) reducing seasonality via tourism promotion characterize the production and consumption of cultural goods (ii) enhancing the attractiveness of places: culture (ii) promoting a more equal distribution of tourism as a place-branding and tourism attractor development and destination competitiveness, in order to stimulate a more widespread growth of tourism including in less popular areas, and the marketing/promotion of less developed tourism products (ii) strengthening the positive socio-economic (ii) stimulating and supporting employment and effects associated with cultural goods and activities; sustainable economic growth culture’s role in generating employment and building competitive advantage Source: Own classification, on the basis of stakeholder interviews and regional policy documents. In these respects, the ERDF ROP for 2007-2013 exhibited a shift from the previous period, which had also included tourism and culture among its objectives. According to regional programming documents and carried out interviews, in the 2007-2013 programming period attention in the region moved from policies aimed at mainly restoring and conserving natural and cultural assets to policies aimed at promoting and improving access to the now largely restored natural and cultural assets. The purpose was to increase and support tourist flows into the region. Environmental and cultural heritage has thus been deliberately harnessed to attract more Italian and
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foreign tourists and now represents an important factor for the economic development of the region.
In terms of the taxonomy developed in Task 1 of the study (see Interim Report), the ERDF strategy developed for the Puglia region was a mix of the following typologies:
Support for innovation and competitiveness. This approach was pursued by all of the priority themes with the objective of upgrading cultural and tourism services through product, process and organisational innovation (for example by implementing cluster strategies). This was the trait d’union of the whole regional strategy for the ‘Enhancement of natural and cultural resources for attraction and development’. Socio-economic and environmental sustainability. This approach is specific to the coastal areas, which are heavily dependent on the tourism sector. The objective is to preserve historical assets and manage those negative economic, social and environmental externalities related to heavy flows of tourists. Regeneration and social cohesion. This strategic approach is indirectly addressed by upgrading local cultural and natural assets, supporting cultural infrastructures and promoting events.
Table 2.2 summarises the objectives of the ERDF regional strategy for tourism and culture in Puglia, as structured through the priority themes, and their contribution to the policy approaches identified in Task 1 of the main report.
Table 2.2. ERDF regional strategy for tourism and culture: Policy approaches and priority themes
Policy approach to culture and tourism Support for Socio-economic and Priority theme Regeneration and innovation and environmental social cohesion competitiveness sustainability
Promotion of natural assets √ √
Protection and development of
natural heritage √ √
Improvement of tourist services √ Protection and preservation of the cultural heritage √ √ Development of cultural
infrastructure √ √ Other assistance to improve
cultural services √ √ Source: Own classification, on the basis of stakeholders interviews and regional policy documents.
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Table 2.3. National/regional programmes supporting the regional integrated strategy for culture and tourism
REGIONAL INTEGRATED STRATEGY FOR CULTURE AND TOURISM
FINANCIAL BRIEF DESCRIPTION ROLE OF PUGLIA ALLOCATION
Tourist Triennial A series of programmes the latest of which is for the years 2012-2014, In line with the guidelines The programme itself Regional Programme which represent the overarching strategy. These provide a tool for the included in the Regional Laws has no financial programming strategy for tourism, and lists the financial resources for tourism promotion, the allocation. Being an available to be used to implement it. regional programme seeks to overarching policy enhance regional natural and document, it simply cultural resources in order to lists the available increase the tourist resources that could be attractiveness of the region used to implement the through the building up and strategy (EU, national promotion of a system of and regional) integrated tourist products.
NATIONAL/REGIONAL PROGRAMMES
FINANCIAL PROGRAMME BRIEF DESCRIPTION ROLE OF PUGLIA ALLOCATION
Interregional This was designed to support the development for tourist purposes of Puglia is involved in the The POIN distributed operational cultural and natural resources which are present across the southern Italy coordination of a Ports Euro 1,977.4 Million programme ‘POIN Convergence regions. The strategy seeks to implement an integrated tourist Networks strategy and in the among the eight Italian Cultural, natural and ‘offer’ based on the identification of the key cultural, natural and tourist development and enhancement Southern Regions. Out tourist attractors’ attractors (‘poles’). of the its two main regional of these, around Euro touristic attractor poles (the 330 Million are ‘Gargano’ and ‘Salento’ available for Puglia territories) Region (50% ERDF contribution)
Interregional PAIN is mainly aimed at integrating the attractor ‘poles’ across all of the Puglia is involved in the PAIN is financed by the Implementation regions. It involves not only the four Convergence regions (Campania, development of its touristic National Fund FAS Programme for the Calabria, Puglia and Sicilia) but also the other southern regions of Abruzzo, attractor poles in strict (Underused Areas South (PAIN) Molise, Basilicata and Sardegna. coordination with those of the Fund) with a financing other Southern regions. of Euro 170 Million for the valorization of the natural and cultural resources of the Puglia Region.
October 2015 18 Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
2.2 The main elements of the ERDF interventions in the tourism and culture sectors
The ERDF ROP9 of the Puglia Region 2007-2013 was adopted by a Community Decision10 on 20 November 2007. Its principal aim is to promote the full convergence of the regional economy in terms of growth and employment, while ensuring sustainability. The initial total financial resources amounted to Euro 5.2 Million which became Euro 4.2 Million after reprogramming (Euro 2.6 Million ERDF)11. The ROP identifies the following eight priorities: 1) Promotion and dissemination of research and innovation for competitiveness; 2) Sustainable and efficient use of environmental and energy resources for development; 3) Social inclusion and services to enhance the quality of life and the attractiveness of the region; 4) Promoting the potential of natural and cultural resources to improve the attractiveness and development of the region; 5) Networks and mobility links; 6) Competitiveness of productive systems and employment; 7) Competitiveness and attractiveness of cities and urban systems; 8) Governance, institutional capacity and competitive and efficient markets.
From an operational point of view, out of the eight priorities, OP support to tourism and culture is structured along two axes. The first is a dedicated Axis IV which is entirely focused on the ‘Enhancement of natural and cultural resources for attraction and development’ with the general objective of improving the attractiveness of the region for tourism purposes. The second comprises two Lines of Activity within Axis VI for competitiveness of productive systems and employment (see Table 2.4 below). It is Axis IV which is entrusted with the task of ensuring the implementation of the new integrated regional strategies via the ERDF support. The two Lines of Activity within Axis VI are less directly focused on the culture and tourism strategy as they represent financial support to the regional systems of SMEs via direct financial grants for mainly infrastructural restructuring and development of tourist establishments. Axis VI grants aid to enterprises in the tourist sector as a contribution to initial investment carried out by SMEs. It involves Integrated Facilitation Programmes aimed at improving the tourist offer in Puglia. Line of Activity 6.1.9 grants initial investment aid to individual enterprises in the tourist sector, while Line of Activity 6.1.10 targets consortiums of enterprises in order to seek an integrated set of investments in order to improve the regional tourist offer12.
With a planned budget of Euro 352 Million (of which Euro 219 Million represents the ERDF contribution), Priority Axis IV of the Puglia ROP 2007-2013 represents 8.4% of the total value of the programme. The complete Priority Axis VI has a planned budget of Euro 1.097 Million (of which Euro 684,528 represents the ERDF contribution) and this corresponds to 26.1% of the total value of the programme. Line of Activity 6.1.9 had an initial planned budget of Euro 45 Million (of which Euro 28 Million represents the ERDF contribution). This comprises 1.1% of the total value of the programme. Line of Activity 6.1.10 was allocated an initial Euro 54 Million (of which Euro 33.7 Million
9 http://fesr.regione.puglia.it/ 10 The Operational Programme ERDF Apulia 2007-2013 was adopted with Commission Decision (CE) n. C/2007/5726 of 20.11.2007 and further modified with Commission Decision C(2011) 9029 of 1.12.2011 and Decision C(2014)9373 of 4 December 2014. 11 Initially, the EU co-financing rate was 50%. As a result of reprogramming the co-financing rate became 62.4%. 12 Data and information on Axis VI are also included in the Puglia Case study that was carried out in the framework of the Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Cohesion Fund (CF) -Support to SMEs - Increasing Research and Innovation in SMEs and SME Development - Work Package 2, of the DG REGIO (2015).
October 2015 19 Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
represents the ERDF contribution). This comprises 1.3% of the total value of the programme.
As for connections with other Structural Funds, namely ESF, it is worth saying that the ESF ROP 2007-2013 of Puglia Region does not include a specific strategy on tourism and culture. However, the development of human resources working or potentially working in tourism and/or cultur sectors, are mentioned among possible actions to be financed under both Axis I – Adaptability and Axis IV – Human capital13. As such, training actions referred to the development of (among other) the tourism and cultural activities sectors were developed at province level. For example, in the Province of Foggia, training activities for supporting the increase of skills and competencies of entrepreneurs and civil servants in the framework of Local Touristic Systems were financed in 2012 (472,500). Also in the Province of Lecce in 2011 a training action for the development of the management of the touristic sector (350,000) was financed. No consolidated data on financial allocation of these interventions are available14.
Further connections to tourism and culture can be identified also under Axis VII - Competitiveness and attractiveness of cities and urban systems even if only at the level of strategy. For example, requalification of urban centers projects (Integrated Project of Urban Development) which were financed under Axis VII were aimed at contrasting the phenomena of de-urbanisation and social exclusion of urban centres, both from an economical and social point of view and at valorising historical and cultural resources within urban centres (and this, indirectly, could contribute to enhance the attractiveness of these urban centres also for tourists). However, no specific data and information on the role of these projects with regard to tourism and culture are available.
13 ESF ROP 2007-2013 Puglia Region, file://Programma%20Operativo%20Regionale%20Puglia%20FSE%2020072013%20(1).pdf 14 ESF ROP 2007-2013 Puglia Region, AIR 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, http://fse.regione.puglia.it/portal/pls/portal/FSE.DYN_SOTTOSEZIONE.show?p_arg_names=id_sottosezione &p_arg_values=20
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Table 2.4. ERDF regional strategy for tourism and culture (Axis IV and part of Axis VI): Lines of activities, objectives, actions and expected results – The logic of intervention
AXIS IV LINE OF ACTIVITIES OBJECTIVE ACTIONS EXPECTED RESULTS Line of Activity 4.1: Promotion of the tourism economy by 4.1.1. Completion of infrastructure to support the tourist economy • An expansion of the national, but more Infrastructure, promotion and the enhancement, characterization, (i.e. tourist ports, and the removal of architectural barriers on sites of importantly the international tourist presence valorisation enhancing the diversification and promotion of tourist importance) • Reduction of seasonality tourism economy integrated tourism offerings, the 4.1.2 enhancement and promotion of the region through the completion and characterization of development of specific marketing actions aimed at strengthening the tourism infrastructure and territorial attraction of Puglia’s tourist destinations on national and international marketing actions with actions markets dedicated to the completion of 4.1.3 Development of hospitality structures and leisure facilities for infrastructure supporting the tourism social tourism, in rural and beach contexts as well as in the old town economy (especially tourist ports) centres. Line of Activity 4.2: Protection and enhancement of the 4.2.1 Completion and expansion of the networks of cultural heritage, • An increase in the demand for cultural products Protection, enhancement and regional cultural heritage by actions archaeological sites, museums, public libraries, historical archives, and services in the region management of the cultural aimed at promoting them inside and historical theatres, castles and cathedrals heritage outside the region and increasing the 4.2.2 Protection and enhancement of the cultural heritage use of the cultural heritage Line of Activity 4.3: Development of new cultural activities 4.3.1. Development of services for promotion, communications, and • An increase in the demand for cultural products Development of cultural that could stimulate both cultural digital technology for the tourist development in the territory and the and services in the region activities and entertainment demand from the local population as cultural heritage in order to increase the attractiveness of the area • An increase in the value added attributed to the well as local production and the for television and film production sector development of production chains in 4.3.2 Development of artistic and cultural events • The achievement of a territorial rebalancing of the region cultural activities, by spreading them throughout the entire regional territory • An increase the number of sites for the enjoyment of live shows, in particular developing the smaller theatres in the region (both public and private) and an increase in the number of events timetabled (e.g. festivals, shows, etc.) Line of Activity 4.4: Promotion of the development of 4.4.1 Interventions for the greater use of natural areas (including by • An expansion of the national, but more Interventions for an Protected Natural Areas, and also tourists) importantly the international tourist presence ecological network through the development of ‘green 4.4.2 Promotion and enhancement of the natural heritage (also with • Reduction of seasonality tourism’ and sustainable territorial tourism aims) marketing 4.4.3 Interventions for improving accessibility to natural areas
AXIS VI Line of Activity 6.1: Consolidation and support of the 6.1.9: Qualification of the tourism offer - supporting investments in • Increase the receptiveness of the tourist Intervention for enterprise growth of local enterprises the tourism sector through grant aid to enterprises as a contribution establishments (hotels, etc.) and the quality of competitiveness to initial investments in fixed assets (e.g. buildings, construction services offered works, renovations etc) carried out by SMEs 6.1.10: Service for innovation and competitiveness in the tourism sector - supporting investments in the tourism sector through grant aid to consortiums of SMEs for the development of the Integrated Investment Programmes in Tourism (PIA TURISMO) Source: Own analysis, on the basis of regional policy documents.
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Table 2.5 below seeks to classify the different types of interventions financed through Axis IV and the two Lines of Activity of relevance in Axis VI in terms of the typologies developed in the Interim Report of the study. The interventions are divided into ‘hard’ physical infrastructure investments aimed at increasing accessibility to sites, recovering already existing natural or historical assets, and constructing new cultural facilities, and ‘softer’ non-infrastructural interventions aimed at upgrading the already existing supply of tourism services. These include activities such as promotional campaigns, educational tours, and support for events (e.g. workshops, fairs, festivals). Table 2.5. Regional strategy for tourism and culture: Types of intervention
Type of intervention Sector Hard Soft • Infrastructure and facilities (e.g. roads, signage, lighting, street furniture, routes • Interventions to improve tourist reception, aimed at a and trails, parking areas, picnic areas) better use and provision of dedicated services to improve the use of and access to • Promotion of the regional tourism system through tourism resources and interventions initiatives of hospitality and educational tours aimed at tourism development • Promotion of the regional tourism system through the • Improvement and strengthening of the organization of, and/or participation in sectoral regional system of tourist harbours initiatives at national and international level • Development of hospitality structures • Awareness-raising campaigns for local communities and leisure facilities for social tourism, in and the regional business system rural and beach contexts as well as in • Programmes aimed at promoting and enhancing Tourism the old town centres regional tourism • Recovery of buildings for tourist • Integrated communication plans accommodation • Strategic planning, industry analysis and • Projects and realization of the networks implementation activities of the local tourist systems of trails for hiking (LTSs) • Cycling routes for eco-tourism • Studies and research on natural sites • Reconstruction of natural sites • Promotion and enhancement of natural heritage for • Recovery of rural buildings for tourist tourism accommodation • Consultancies • Machinery, equipment and furnishings • Fairs participation • Fixed assets (e.g. buildings, construction works, renovations etc) • Restoration and enhancement of the system of archives • Restoration and enhancement of the system of libraries • Interventions for the support of the regional system of film production, multimedia and audiovisual activities and for SME’s in the sector • Activities and big events within the movie and audiovisual field (regional networks of cinemas and festivals) • Recovery, restoration and enhancement • Valorisation and communications relating to Puglia as of monuments in historic/artistic areas a cultural location (e.g. educational tours, • Restoration and upgrading of cultural international workshops for attracting international heritage assets of ‘minor’ importance operators, integrated communication plans, • Interventions for the restoration and international events and fairs) enhancement of historic theatres • Development of artistic and cultural events (infrastructure, furniture) • Integrated communication interventions for cultural Culture • Intervention for the adaptation of productions of Puglia: festivals, exhibitions and museums and improvement of museum cultural events services • Exhibitions and workshops on visual arts, multimedia • Integrated interventions for and photography infrastructure and promotion of systems • Relevant cultural events and networks of cultural heritage • Festivals and big event live shows
• Cultural events aiming at valorization of the territory
• Studies and research on regional cultural activities • Technical assistance to the Regional Steering Committee on Cultural Activities (monitoring and evaluation) • Internationalization of cultural activities (e.g. participation in international events, marketing, etc.) • Live shows and events in a regional context • Improvement and valorization of music and dance events (e.g. Puglia Sounds) • International music fairs (e.g. Medimex) Source: Own analysis, on the basis of regional policy documents.
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The division of financial resources between ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ interventions are reported in Table 2.6. Table 2.7 presents similar information in terms of numbers of interventions. As can be seen, while many more financial resources were devoted to ‘hard’ interventions (66.8% hard vs 33.2% soft), in terms of the number of projects ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ interventions come out as nearly the same (50.1% soft vs 49.9% hard). This pattern can be partly explained by the more expensive nature of ‘hard’ interventions as well by the need to complete several infrastructural and restorations interventions started in the previous programming period
However, when one examines Axis IV alone, while financial resources were more devoted to ‘hard’ interventions (58.3% hard vs 41.7% soft), the number of projects focused on ‘soft’ interventions amounted to nearly double those for the ‘hard’ ones (63.8% soft vs 36.2% hard). This shows that within Axis IV particular attention was given to the identification of different and numerous ‘soft’ interventions linked to the sub-regional planning of activities (more on this later in Section 3.3), together with the specific needs and investments in the creative industries.
Same figures referred to 2000-2006 programming period are not available. Qualitative information from interviewees allow to consider resources dedicated to soft intervention (namely for valorisation of the touristic attractions and for cultural activities) relevant, both in term of total amount and in term of percentage on total allocated resources.
Table 2.6. Financial allocations to ‘hard’ and ‘soft. interventions for culture and tourism by Line of Activity
Culture Tourism Total Financial Allocation Hard Soft Hard Soft Hard Soft 4.1: Infrastructure, promotion and valorisation enhancing the tourism economy - - 46.6% 53.4% 46.6% 53.4% 4.2: Protection, enhancement and management of the cultural heritage 87.4% 12.6% - - 87.4% 12.6% 4.3: Development of cultural activities and entertainment 0.0% 100.0% - - 0.0% 100.0% 4.4: Interventions for an ecological network - - 99.2% 0.8% 99.2% 0.8% Total Axis IV 62.5% 37.5% 53.9% 46.1% 58.3% 41.7% 6.1.9: Qualification of the tourism offer - - 100% - 100% - 6.1.10: Service for innovation and competitiveness in the tourism sector - - 99.6%* 0.4% 99.6% 0.4% Total Axis IV and Lines 6.1.9 and 6.1.10 of Axis VI 62.5% 37.5% 69.8% 30.2% 66.8% 33.2% Source: Regional monitoring database of ERDF projects (updated at 31 December 2014). *Within this figure it is possible that a small percentage of financial allocations to ‘soft’ interventions is included. It has not been possible to separate this element out.
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Table 2.7. Number of ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ interventions for culture and tourism by line of activity
Culture Tourism Total Number of projects Hard Soft Hard Soft Hard Soft 4.1: Infrastructure, promotion and valorisation enhancing the tourism economy - - 15.5% 84.5% 15.5% 84.5% 4.2: Protection, enhancement and management of the cultural heritage 86.2% 13.8% - - 86.2% 13.8% 4.3: Development of cultural activities and entertainment 0.0% 100.0% - - 0.0% 100.0% 4.4: Interventions for an ecological network - - 98.3% 1.7% 98.3% 1.7% Total Axis IV 41.0% 59.0% 28.3% 71.7% 36.2% 63.8% 6.1.9: Qualification of the tourism offer - - 100% - 100% - 6.1.10: Service for innovation and competitiveness in the Tourism sector - - 99.6%* 0.4% - - Total Axis IV and Lines 6.1.9 and 6.1.10 of Axis VI 41.0% 59.0% 58.4% 41.6% 49.9% 50.1% Source: Regional monitoring database of ERDF projects (updated at 31 December 2014). *Within this figure it is possible that a certain percentage of ‘soft’ interventions are included. It has not been possible to separate this element out. The 2007-2013 ERDF strategy for tourism and culture was mainly focused on the urban areas within the region. Although specific data at sub-regional level are not available for some 41.2% of interventions, Table 2.8 below gives sub-regional details for those interventions for which data are available.
The distribution among the different cities is territorially oriented on the basis of the presence of cultural and historical heritages (castles, churches, historical building, archives and public libraries) on the territory and the share of population. In 2014, the Province of Bari represents more than 40% of the total population of the region (including the newly defined province of BAT-Barletta-Andria-Trani) and the province of Lecce represents 20% of the total population15. Touristic arrivals and presences are unequal distributed between Puglia provinces, and are concentrated in the provinces of Bari, Foggia and Lecce. Foggia, and to some extent Lecce, are particularly interested by maritime tourism.
15 ISTAT, Demographic Statistics
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Table 2.8. Percentage of financial allocations by type of sub-region and NUTS
% of allocated Territorial dimension Allocated resources (Euro Million) resources Bari 13.129 63.3% Not applicable 80.97 61.7% Rural 1.55 1.2% Urban 4.,77 37.1% Lecce 35.70 17.2% Not applicable 2.26 6.3% Rural 0.96 2.7% Urban 32.47 91.0% Foggia 16.94 8.2% Not applicable 0.83 4.9% Sparsely populated 3.30 19.5% Urban 12.82 75.7% Brindisi 12.10 5.8% Not applicable 0.51 4.2% Sparsely populated 0.28 2.3% Urban 11.31 93.4% Taranto 11.33 5.5% Not applicable 0.86 7.6% Rural 1.71 15.1% Urban 8.75 77.3% Total 207.36 100.0%
Not applicable 85.44 41.2% Rural 4.22 2.0% Sparsely populated 3.58 1.7% Urban 114.12 55.0% Total 207.36 100.0% Source: SFC 2013.
2.3 Governance and supportive features of the ERDF strategy in the tourism and culture sectors: main actors, process phases and procedures
The Puglia region government is the overall ERDF ROP Managing Authority (MA). However, in order to implement specific interventions relating to the different ROP Axes, individual Intermediate Bodies were established. Puglia Sviluppo SpA is the company in region that acts as the Intermediate Body for the management of business incentives including those delivered within Axis VI with regard to Line of Action 6.1.9 and 6.1.10.
In the case of the more important Priority Axis IV, designed to implement the new regional integrated strategy interlinking culture and tourism, existing organisations and governance systems were not thought suitable. Instead, what was required was the design of a new governance system. A bottom-up participatory model of governance was established at the beginning of the 2007-2013 programming period to implement the overall ERDF regional strategy by reinforcing democracy and community responsibility. This new system was designed to promote the integration of the various (local) territorial assets, capabilities and resources (both financial and human) in order to implement innovative projects.A key component of this new participatory approach was the development of ten so-called ‘area vasta’, (in English, ‘broad areas’).
These are sub-regional aggregations of municipalities which represent a part of the
October 2015 25 Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
regional territory16 and are experimenting in an innovative process of multilevel governance which has as its outcome the definition of strategic plans for each ‘area vasta’ which are funded by integrated financial resources (ERDF ROP, but also PAIN/POIN and other national and regional resources).
The strategic plans elaborated by each ‘area vasta’ are first evaluated by a specific Regional Committee for the evaluation and verification of public investments. These evaluations then represent the basis for further programme and implementation agreements within the region.
Within the framework of this general coordination process based on common objectives and procedures (the ‘area vasta’ programmes), specific territorial negotiation outlines were established with the aim of implementing the cultural and tourist strategy at local level through a process of sub-regional strategic planning. This is designed to empower local stakeholders and increase democratic participation towards an overall strategic vision focusing on the following features:
The development of new cultural products strongly connected with the territory and integrated in so-called Local Tourist Systems (LTSs) defined by the relevant national law (L. 135/2001) as: homogenous or integrated tourism contexts with widespread individual or associated tourist businesses involved that can diversify the tourist offer and improve the region’s attractiveness. In other words, LTSs have strongly local characteristics and themes and place a strong emphasis on a new generation of services at the cross-over point between culture and creativity. In this context, the policies for promoting tourism have been geared towards the positioning of Puglia in both national and European markets, and towards the creation of a new brand. The creation of new integrated ‘Environmental and Cultural Systems’ (ECSs)17 throughout Puglia. These seek to combine the environmental with the cultural heritage. ECSs promote the adoption of new integrated cultural services with the aim of promoting and enhancing attractiveness, cultural demand and tourism; drive innovations and investments in new technologies; and support creative entrepreneurship activities. The final goal is to transform the existing cultural heritage into new networks of physical spaces aimed at promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in the field of culture and creativity.
LTSs and ECSs are different, but complementary, for the overall effort that Puglia has been making for culture and tourism. While LTSs are a new governance instrument envisaged by a national law and subsequently locally implemented, ECSs are integrated interventions moving from the identification of a ‘key idea’ of integrated valorisation within the multiplicity of environmental and cultural resources specifically designed for the implementation of the cultural and tourist strategy included in the Puglia ERDF ROP 2007-2013.
16 The ‘area vasta’ concept is a new one. An ‘area vasta’ does not represent a geographic entity, but rather a dimension of a territorial planning halfway between local and regional institutions. This concept has grown out of a process that has involved private and public stakeholder discussions on the promotion and implementation of effective partnership systems and alliance networks. 17 Designed on the basis of the results achieved by the PIS (Sectorial Integrated Programmes) implemented in the programming period 2000-2006, the ECSs are based on systematising environmental and cultural resources with the aim of promoting more efficient programme implementation.
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To better coordinate the process, increase local participation, and at the same time retain regional leadership (thus adopting a coherent system between the general objectives set at regional level and the needs and the interventions planned at local level), Puglia decided to create in 2011 a Regional Tourism Agency called Pugliapromozione. Its primary mission is to manage the activities of tourist promotion throughout the regional territory becoming the sole agency since the dissolution of five previous provincial Tourist Promotion Agencies – TPAs18. The new agency is designed to support the regional tourist system and reinforce tourist demand, whilst simultaneously rationalising the expenditure of the limited national and European funds at the disposal of the region19. Moreover, at the regional level, a re-organization of the regional offices to manage integrated interventions and pilot experimentation was carried out. The presence of a single Area Director in charge of the coordination of different policies and regional departments involved in the implementation of ERDF Axis IV appears to have allowed a more uniform and coherent approach.
Both Pugliapromozione and the local governments involved in ‘area vasta’, LTS and ECSs are also among the main beneficiaries of interventions financed under Axis IV.
Table 2.9 below presents a list of the main beneficiaries for both Axis IV and the Axis VI Lines of Activity in the 2007-2013 programme.
Table 2.9. Beneficiaries by Line of Activity
LINE OF ACTIVITY BENEFICIARIES 4.1: Infrastructure, promotion and valorisation Puglia regional government and other public bodies enhancing the tourism economy Puglia regional government, other public bodies, 4.2: Protection, enhancement and management of religious organisations and other possible the cultural heritage beneficiaries as defined by the ERDF ROP Steering Committee Puglia regional government, other public bodies and 4.3: Development of cultural activities and their consortiums, bodies and foundations owned by entertainment public bodies, and small enterprises Puglia regional government, other public bodies and 4.4: Interventions for an ecological network managers of protected areas 6.1.9: Qualification of the tourism offer SMEs 6.1.10: Service for innovation and competitiveness Single medium-size enterprises or consortiums of in the tourism sector SMEs Source: ERDF, Axis IV and Axis VI Regional Implementation Programme. As Table 2.9 makes clear, both the Puglia regional government and the other levels of government (i.e. provinces, rural communities, and municipalities) are actively involved directly or indirectly (via Pugliapromozione for example) as beneficiaries in all Axis IV Lines of Activity. Only with specific regard to Line of Activity 4.3 are small enterprises (SMEs) included among beneficiaries, along with consortiums of local public entities (e.g. the LTSs). Private sector, network of stakeholders, artists etc.. were supported for the development of cultural activities such as music festival, concerts, participation of musical events at international level (see, for example, the mini case study Puglia Sounds), but also in other cultural sector like theatre (organisation of theatre festival, i.e. Teatri Abitati).
18 Regional Law 1/2002 had already defined this dissolution, a dissolution which was later re-iterated in regional Law 18/2010. 19 The dissolution of the five TPAs and the establishment of just one RTP allowed a faster acceleration of expenditures which moved from Euro 1.5 Million in 2010 to Euro 14.6 Million in 2014 (Pugliapromozione Annual Report, January 2015).
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Within Line of Activity 4.3, the use of public–private partnerships was limited to the development of ‘soft’ cultural activities and was locally used for empowering small businesses. However, small enterprises are recipients in the other Lines of Activity and can manage (via negotiated procedures) small parts of projects for which in-house bodies (such as Pugliapromozione) are the principal beneficiaries. By contrast, the two Axis VI Line of Activity (6.1.9 and 6.1.10) are confined solely to SMEs and medium- size enterprises.
The different beneficiaries involved in the implementation of the various Lines of Activity in both Axis IV and Axis VI were subject to formal selection procedures and standard types of contracts were implemented.
With specific regard to Axis IV, the active presence of public bodies at the local level as well of the Puglia regional government, together with differences across the four Lines of Activity in the types interventions permitted made it necessary to develop a differentiated use of selection procedures. As can be seen by Table 2.10 below, in many cases the regional government assigned the implementation of interventions directly to itself or through in-house bodies (such as, for example, Pugliapromozione within Axis IV and PugliaSviluppo within Axis VI). Negotiated procedures with local government were also widely used within the system of multilevel governance previously described. Public open tender procedures were mostly limited to physical and infrastructure interventions.
With specific regard to Axis VI the only public tender procedures carried out were for direct requests by the enterprises of financial support (grants). The aid is not delivered through calls, but on a continuous basis upon request by potential beneficiaries. As for Line of Activity 6.1.9, the aid intensity (defined as the maximum percentage that could be requested) is 45% for micro and small enterprises and 40% for medium-sized enterprises. With Line of Activity 6.1.10 the aid intensity is 35% for medium-sized enterprises and 45% for small enterprises.
The criteria adopted for project approval were as follows: • With regard to Axis IV these were: integration with other interventions/programmes aimed at the development and enhancement of the LTSs and/or ECSs; qualitative and quantitative analysis of the demand for tourist and cultural activities; economic sustainability; capacity for increasing quality standards of tourist systems; impact on the regional tourist system through interventions aimed at the diversification and de-seasonalisation of tourist flows; feasibility of the interventions; and innovation. • With regard to Axis VI these were: reliability and consistency of the technical and financial proposal; compatibility of the initiatives’ main objectives with the growth potential of beneficiaries; feasibility of the interventions; reliability of the proposed increased employment (together with the gender division of new jobs); environmental sustainability; integration with the economic and productive territory; completion and/or consolidation and/or innovation of sectoral and territorial supply chain; and characteristics and timing of the investment plan.
Generally speaking, both the Axis IV and Axis VI implementation processes (from programming to the tender design and definition and delivery of financing), proved to be relatively efficient. Moreover, in both cases, during the interviews it was pointed out to us that a certain degree of flexibility in adjusting and fine-tuning the processes
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during the programming period to cope with observed shortcomings was achieved.
However some weaknesses were also recorded in both cases. In the case of Axis VI, the identification of consortium bids in Line of Activity 6.1.10 proved cumbersome and slowed down the starting date of the projects and thus the level of expenditure. Moreover, in both Lines of Activities in Axis VI, the system in place seemed to be more prone to specific requests from SMEs, thus failing to stick to a more strategic and steering role.
As for Axis IV, the new governance system proved to be still in need of some adjustment especially in the coordination of all the local governments involved in the ‘area vasta’ programming. Better capacity building needs to be undertaken in the next programming period and a stronger regional leadership in the process would be desirable. Stronger institutional capacity to consider and systematise other forms of territorial governance and coordination among local stakeholders is needed (in order to avoid duplication and confusion). For example, the Local Action Groups (GAL), the Sectoral Integrated Programming (PIS), and others created during the previous programming period in 2000- 2006 did not always function effectively. Weak institutional capacity within and among some of the local territories meant that, in some cases, efficient implementation of territorial planning and the identification of local strategies was hampered. In particular, some local areas have only recently discovered a tourist vocation and were not sufficiently equipped to cope with complex processes and procedures.
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Table 2.10. Selection procedures by typology of interventions within Axis IV
Regional
Public open tender government Interventions Negotiated procedures with no Other procedures procedures selection procedures Line of Activity 4.1.1 A. Interventions to improve tourist reception, aimed at a better use and Yes No No No provision of dedicated services B. Infrastructure and facilities (e.g. roads, signage, lighting, street furniture, routes and trails, parking areas, picnic areas) to improve the use of and No Yes Yes No access to tourism resources and interventions aimed at tourism development C. Improvement and strengthening of the regional system of tourist harbours Yes Yes Yes No Line of Activity 4.1.2 A. Promotion of the regional tourism system through hospitality initiatives and Yes Yes Yes No educational tours B. Promotion of the regional tourism system through the organization of Yes Yes Yes No and/or participation in sectoral initiatives at national and international level C. Awareness-raising campaigns for local communities and the regional No No Yes No business system D. Programmes aimed at promoting and enhancing regional tourism Yes Yes Yes No E. Integrated communication plans No Yes Yes No F. Strategic planning, industry analysis and implementation activities of the No Yes Yes No local tourist systems (LTSs) Line of Activity 4.1.3 A. Creation of a network of structures dedicated to social tourism such as sport and leisure structures addressed also to people with disabilities No Yes No No
Line of Activity 4.2.1 A. Recovery, restoration and enhancement of monuments in historic/artistic No Yes Yes No areas B. Restoration and upgrading of the cultural heritage assets of ‘minor’ No Yes Yes No importance C. Interventions for the restoration and enhancement of historic theatres (e.g. No Yes Yes No infrastructure, furniture, ICT) D. Interventions for the adaptation of museums and improvement of museum No Yes Yes No services E. Restoration and enhancement of the system of archives Yes Yes Yes No F. Restoration and enhancement of the system of libraries Yes Yes Yes No G. Integrated interventions for infrastructure provision and promotion of Yes Yes Yes No
October 2015 30 Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
Regional
Public open tender government Interventions Negotiated procedures with no Other procedures procedures selection procedures systems and networks of cultural heritage Line of Activity 4.2.2 A. Interventions for the restoration and valorisation of the museum system Yes Yes Yes No Line of Activity 4.3.1 A. Interventions to support the regional system of film production, multimedia and audiovisual activities (e.g. subsidies for equipment, ICT, etc. and for No No Yes No SME’s in the sector) B. Activities and big events within the movie and audiovisual field (regional No No Yes Yes networks of cinemas and festivals) C. Valorisation and communication activities relating to location of Puglia No No Yes No (educational tours, international workshops for attracting tourists) D. International operators, integrated communication plans, international No No Yes No events and fairs Line of Activity 4.3.2 A. Integrated communication interventions for cultural productions in Puglia: No No Yes No festivals, exhibitions and cultural events B. Exhibitions and workshops for the visual arts, multimedia and photography Yes No Yes Yes C. Relevant cultural events Yes No Yes No D. Festivals and big event live shows No Yes Yes Yes E. Cultural events aiming at valorization of the region No No Yes No F. Studies and research on regional cultural activities No No Yes No G. Technical assistance to the Regional Steering Committee on Cultural No No Yes No Activities (monitoring and evaluation) H. Internationalization of cultural activities (participation in international No No Yes No events, marketing, etc.) I. Live show events in a regional context (e.g. events in local theatres such as No No Yes No ‘Residenze teatrali’) L. Improvement and commercialization of music and dance events (e.g. Puglia Sounds) No No Yes No
M. International music fairs (e.g. Medimex) No No Yes No Line of Activity 4.4.1 A. Recovery of buildings for tourist accommodation Yes, but only Yes, but only for for interventions on No coordination, No buildings guidelines and
October 2015 31 Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
Regional
Public open tender government Interventions Negotiated procedures with no Other procedures procedures selection procedures preliminary analysis of buildings B. Projects and realization of the network of trails for hiking Yes, but only for the Yes, but only for the design and physical No coordination No implementation of of the trails network of trails C. Cycling routes for eco-tourism Yes No No No D. Reconstruction of natural sites Yes Yes Yes No E. Studies and research on natural sites Yes Yes Yes No Line of Activity 4.4.2 Yes, but only with No regard to local Yes, but only Yes, but only for public bodies and for drafting actions aimed at authorities for the A. Drafting of a ‘Quality Chart’ for the promotion of the region: a European the Charter encouraging firms to protection of the Chart for the Sustainable Tourism (CETS). and for adhere to the Quality natural heritage monitoring Chart and for purposes monitoring purposes Yes, but only with No regard to local Yes, but only public bodies and Yes, but only for for drafting authorities for the actions aimed at the Charter B. Promotion of products through the Quality Chart protection of the involving firms within and for natural heritage promotional activities monitoring and for purposes monitoring purposes Yes, but only for Yes, but only with Yes, but only No actions aimed at regard to local for drafting C. Actions for the improvement of the quality of food products and reception encouraging firms to public bodies and the Charter facilities through the use of quality brands adhere at promotional authorities for the and for activities protection of the monitoring natural heritage purposes
October 2015 32 Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
Regional
Public open tender government Interventions Negotiated procedures with no Other procedures procedures selection procedures and for monitoring purposes Yes, but only for Yes, but only with Yes only for No actions aimed at regard to local drafting the encouraging firms to public bodies and Charter and D. Implementation and promotion of ‘Quality Brands’ based on the natural engage with authorities for the for heritage promotional activities protection of the monitoring natural heritage purposes and for monitoring purposes E. Production and diffusion of information, materials and studies Yes Yes Yes No Yes, but only with No regard to public Yes, but only authorities for the for action to Yes, but only for protection of the create and actions of territorial F. Actions in support of the Natural Parks natural heritage commercializ valorisation and for e the
coordination with network of other institutional Natural Parks bodies Line of Activity 4.4.3 Yes, but only for Yes, but only with A. Physical recovery of rural infrastructure physical infrastructure Yes No local government interventions Yes, but only for Yes, but only with B. Preservation and development of natural sties physical infrastructure Yes No local government interventions Source: ERDF, Axis IV Regional Implementation Programme.
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Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
3 Effectiveness and sustainability of the strategy: outputs and results
3.1 Measuring achievements: the monitoring and evaluation system in place
The monitoring system in place at the regional level reports only on limited aspects of the achievements of the OP and is focused on implementation indicators (e.g. number of projects implemented, expenditure). It is structured at the Axis level and provides some partial evidence at the level of Line of Activity or specific typologies of interventions.
There is more detailed and up-to-date information available within the offices responsible for Lines of Activity within the Regional government, or within implementing agencies. This more detailed information is systematically used by programme managers responsible for implementation, but is not centrally included in the official regional monitoring system. The result of this is that several ‘unofficial’ monitoring systems have been developed. These do not match up well with the official centralised monitoring system.
Quite a lot of evidence on the results achieved by individual projects is available and collected thanks to the personal interactions of programme managers with beneficiaries. However, the collection of data and information from beneficiaries is fragmented and not centralised, and this lack of a comprehensive and integrated system results in poor feedback at the strategic level. This has hindered a full and thorough evaluation exercise.
The responsibility for carrying out evaluations of programmes lies with the Evaluation Unit of the regional government. No evaluation studies of the impact of the strategy on tourism and culture system in the region and on the strategy implementation process were carried out. However, there is a widely-shared opinion among the interviewees that it is still too early for an ex-post evaluation of the 2007-2013 Operational Programme. According to interviews carried out with the regional evaluation unit, an evaluation plan is to be prepared by the end of 2015 and will include the topics for which ex-post evaluations will be carried out in the future. Although there is the possibility that the integrated strategy on tourism and culture will be one of the topics, we cannot be sure of this at present and there is no clear view about what could be a basis for an ex-post evaluation given the current lack of results indicators.
There is nevertheless an increasing awareness in the region of the need to adopt systematic monitoring and evaluation systems able to report on the characteristics of the interventions as well as the results achieved from the side of programme managers. In particular, in addition to the standard monitoring system of the administrative and technical features of the implemented investments, for Axis VI Puglia Sviluppo prepared a detailed questionnaire to be submitted by each beneficiary SME after project completion in order to gather information on its innovation propensity, the contribution of the project to its innovation activities and the impact in terms of competences, employment, additionality and propensity to innovate. Data collection is currently at the initial phase and no results are available yet. With regard to Axis IV, Pugliapromozione is collecting satisfaction questionnaires on specific interventions that could be further expanded in the new programming period.
Therefore, while it still seems rather early to have systematic evidence on actual
October 2015 35 Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
achievements, the following are the outputs and results achieved for the entire Axis IV and for the two relevant Axis VI Lines of Activity (6.1.9 and 6.1.10).
3.2 Outputs achieved
There are four Lines of Activity and ten sub-activities within Axis IV and two relevant Lines of Activities within Axis VI. Tables 3.1 and 3.2 below set out the performance of each Axis in turn in terms of financial and physical implementation achievements. Each table shows first the targets planned initially in the regional programme, followed by the reported achievements to date (‘Implementation’). The ‘number of projects’ implemented (a core output indicator) is the sole collected output indicator. It is not a relevant measure of actual achievements. The other core output indicator ‘number of jobs created’ is only reported for Axis VI and not for Axis IV. Moreover, data for this indicator are collected only at Axis level (as previously pointed out) and not at Line of Activity level.
Taking Axis IV first, it can be seen from Tables 3.1 and 3.2 that this Axis has had quite a good level of implementation to date. The number of implemented projects comfortably exceeds the initial ROP targets20. The number of financed projects at December 2014 exceeded the targets. Indeed, Line of Activity 3.2 had already exceeded its target with respect to the numbers of projects completed by December 2013.
Axis IV had a total financial allocation of Euro 352 Million. The certified expenditure at December 2014 reached more than Euro 320 Million, representing 80.3% of the total. Line of Activity 4.3 exhibited the highest percentage of certified expenditure attained, reaching 90.1% by December 2014. Further details for each of the four Axis IV Lines of Activity and by sub-lines and intervention typologies are reported in the Annex.
Table 3.2 sets out in more detail the numbers of projects and associated financial descriptive measures (namely minimum, median and maximum values among the projects) by Line of Activity. As it can be seen, Line of Activity 4.1 (Infrastructures, promotion and valorization of the tourism economy) is the one in which the biggest projects in terms of financial resources have been implemented. This is particularly true for the sub-line of activity 4.1.1 (Actions for the completion of infrastructure to support the tourist economy, tourist ports, and removal of architectural barriers at sites of tourist importance) which mainly invested resources in infrastructure and facilities (e.g. roads, signage, lighting, street furniture, routes and trails, parking areas and picnic areas) to improve the use of and access to tourism resources. Sub-line of activity 4.1.2 (Actions for the enhancement and promotion of the region through the development of specific marketing actions aimed at strengthening the attraction of Puglia’s tourist destinations in national and international markets) has also financed some of the bigger projects.
The second largest Line of Activity within Axis IV is that relating to the activities implemented by Public Puglia Theatre (TPP) – Line of Activity 4.2. TPP is an initiative recognized and supported by the Ministry of Cultural Activities and Cultural Heritage and by the Puglia regional government. Some 52 Municipalities, all of the Provinces and the Puglia region government have joined with the TPP to help to develop its activities. TPP plays a strategic role in the design, implementation, and management of many of the cultural activities of the region. In particular, it is responsible for the
20 ROP targets were only defined by Line of Activity and not by sub-line of activities or typologies of intervention.
October 2015 36 Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
dissemination of culture through theatre performances, dance, children’s theatre and music performances throughout Puglia. TPP is responsible for a number of activities that are of particular interest for the implementation of the ERDF strategy on culture in the Puglia region. TPP has been among the first Italian theatre circuits to be successfully created, with about 500 performances and more than 130,000 participants annually.
By contrast, Line of Activity 4.3 (Development of cultural activities and entertainment) has tended to involve more small projects (the median value is Euro 0.02 Million). This is the result of the strategy adopted by the new governance structure based on LTSs and ECSs. This has allowed local areas and sub-regions to develop their own specific cultural activities more closely focused on the tourism and cultural characteristics of their own localities. Within this line of activity the biggest single project is PugliaSound (www.pugliasounds.it). This comprises a programme for the development of the region’s music systems (in particular the various artistic, professional, business and institutional components) that contribute to music creation, production, distribution and the promotion of the music of the region (for more detail see Mini Case Study 2).
Turning now to Axis VI, Table 3.1 shows the number of beneficiaries (firms) that have requested and have been authorised to receive grants, together with those that have already received the funding. Out of the 244 individual firms that were allowed to receive grants in Line of Activity 6.1.9, 190 are micro-enterprises; 49 are SMEs and 5 are medium-size enterprises. These are mostly located in the Bari sub-region (60.3%), followed by Foggia and Lecce (respectively 41.2% and 35%). Within the 11 integrated programmes that are included in Line of Activity 6.1.10, 36 firms are involved. Out of these, 10 are medium-sized enterprises and 26 are SMEs mainly hotels, “masserie” (a regional typical country house usually adapted as guesthouse) and touristic villages. As for Line of Activity 6.1.10, a total of 32 firms participating in the PIA were allowed to receive grants.
Within Axis VI, the level of certified expenditure achieved by the end of 2014 was not as good as for Axis IV, reaching only 34%. Differences are relevant between the two lines of activity. Line of activity 6.1.9 registers almost 60% of certified expenditure, while Line of Activity 6.1.10, comprising consortiums of firms, reaches only 15.7%. The difficulties in spending resources is due to delay in the implementation of activities of the projects included in the PIA. The implementation process of PIA, including a long period of negotiation is a characteristics of such programming and implementation tool, and leads to an effective implementation of activities only in the very last years of the programming period.
However, the expenditure rate has accelerated somewhat in the most recent year. Information on individual projects that would allow Table 3.2 to be completed for the Axis VI Lines of Activity as it was for Axis IV are not available at this time. However, requests for grants in Line of Activity 6.1.9 (individual firms) were divided up as follows: the majority (66%) were devoted to modernization and expansion of already existing tourist establishments; 19% were devoted to the requalification of real estates and the 15% to beach resorts.
October 2015 37 Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
Table 3.1. Axes IV and VI - Financial and physical programming and implementation
Programming Implementation Certified expenditure Axis IV Number Financial ERDF allocation Financial ERDF allocations ERDF Projects (total) Projects allocation Number allocations Certified Concluded Amount* Amount Amount Lines of activity - OP (mil. projects to projects % certified expenditure until 2014 (mil. % (mil. % (mil. / Actions Target euro) (mil. euro) expenditure (mil. euro) ** euro) euro) euro) Axis IV (1) (2) (3) (4)=(3)/Σ(3) (5) (6) (7) (8)=(7)/Σ(7) (9) (10)=(9)/Σ(9) (11) (12) 4.1 - Infrastructure, promotion and 306 150.8 94.1 42.8% 323 168.6 105.2 41.8% 131.9 78.2% 76.9 282 valorisation of tourism economy 4.2 - Protection, enhancement and 230 102.8 64.1 29.2% 298 148.4 92.6 36.8% 117.1 78.9% 68.3 198 management of the cultural heritage 4.3 - Development of cultural activities and 160 58.1 36.2 16.5% 329 59.1 36.9 14.6% 53.2 90.1% 31.0 265 entertainment 4.4 - Intervention for 145 40.4 25.2 11.5% 59 27.1 16.9 6.7% 21.5 79.3% 12.6 41 an ecological network Total 841 352.0 219.6 100.0% 1,009 403.3 251.6 100.0% 323.7 80.3% 188.7 786 Certified expenditure Firms who Axis VI ERDF allocation ERDF allocations Number Financial Financial (total) ERDF have Number of Projects allocation allocations Certified received Lines of activity Amount* beneficiaries Amount Amount - OP (mil. to projects % certified expenditure grants / (mil. % (firms) (mil. % (mil. Target euro) (mil. euro) expenditure (mil. euro) until 2014 Actions6.19+6.1.10) euro) euro) euro) ** 6.1.9 - Qualification of n.a 45.0 28.1 45.5% 244 39.0 24.3 42.4% 23.0 59.0% 14.4 166 the tourism offer 6.1.10 - Service for innovation and n.a 54.0 33.7 54.5% 32 53.0 33.1 57.6% 8.3 15.7% 5.2 32 competitiveness in the tourism sector Total n.a 99.0 61.8 100.0% 276 92.0 57.4 100.0% 31.3 34.0% 19.5 198 Source: Regional monitoring database of ERDF projects (updated at 31 December 2014). * Average co-financing rate = 62.4%. ** Source: Annual Implementation Report 2014.
October 2015 38 Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
Table 3.2. Axis IV - Number of projects and descriptive financial measures by lines of activity/actions
ERDF support (total and per project) * N° of Lines of activity/Actions Total Median Minimum Maximum Largest of projects at action level projects (Euro Mill) (Euro Mill) (Euro) (Euro Mill) 4.1 - Infrastructure, promotion and valorisation of toursim 323 105.2 0.02 501 15.11 economomy 1. Progetto di riqualificazione quartiere fieristico e di costruzione di nuovo padiglione espositivo" (24.2 M) 2. 4.1.1 - Infrastrcuture 49 47.4 0.45 73,030 15.11 Comune di Castrignano Del Capo – ‘Ripristino strutture portuali’ (4.3 M) 1. Comunicazione dei prodotti turistici regionali annualità 4.1.2 - Marketing 272 54.9 0.02 501 6.86 2012 - 2014 Pugliapromozione (11.0 M) 2. Teatro Pubblico Pugliese le notti bianche regionali (6.0 M) 1. AREA VASTA ‘MURGIA’ - Comune di Altamura - Recupero architettonico e funzionale per realizzazione 4.1.3 - Hospitality and leasure 2 2.9 1.44 583,256 2.29 Ostello (3.7 M) 2. AREA VASTA ‘LECCE’ COMUNE DI NOVOLI - Recupero e Rifunzionaliz. ex carcere da destinare ad ostello (0.9 M) 4.2 - Protection, enhancement and management of the cultural 298 92.6 0.16 2,886 5.15 heritage 1. Recupero Del Teatro Apollo di Lecce (8.2 M) 2. 4.2.1 -Cultural heritage 298 92.6 0.2 2,886 5.15 conservatorio di musica Piccinni - adeguamento funzionale f auditorium N. Rota (5.8 M) 4.3 - Development of cultural 329 36.9 0.02 1,872 3.74 activities and entertainment 4.3.1 - Promotion of regional 1. Circuito di sale di qualità – 1° (3.1 M) Circuito di sale 77 13.0 0.02 2,866 1.93 locations di qualità 2° (3.0 M) 1. Pugliasounds ‘Circuito delle musiche e della danza’ - 4.3.2 - Artistic and cultural events 252 23.8 0.02 1,872 3.74 Consorzio Teatro Publico Pugliese (6.0 M ) 2. Circuito delle Musiche e della Danza (4.3 M) 4.4 - Intervention for an 59 16.9 0.22 51,052 1.08 ecological network 4.4.1- Infrastructures in natural 1. Le porte del parco fluviale del fiume Ofanto (1.4 M) 2. 41 9.2 0.20 51,052 0.89 areas Biocostruzioni marine in Puglia (1.0 M) 4.4.2 - Promotion of natural 1 0.1 0.14 143,520 0.14 heritage 1. La carta europea per il turismo sostenibile (0.2 M) 1. Interventi di protezione - attrezzature per la 4.4.3 - Accessibility of natural 17 7.6 0.44 200,012 1.08 valorizzazione – Parco Nazionale del Gargano (1.7 M) 2. areas Tra gravine e steppe – acquisizione di servizi (1.0 M) Total 1,009 251.6 0.05 501 15.11 Source: Regional monitoring data base of ERDF Project 2007-2013 (updated 31 December 2014). * Average co-financing rate = 62.4%.
October 2015 39 Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
3.3 Results achieved
Some eight sets of expected results were identified in the ERDF regional strategy for culture and tourism (see Table 3.3 below). However, the regional monitoring system which was established did not set up a system of indicators capable of measuring all of them. For example, the increase in the volume of activity, numbers of jobs and growth of tourism turnover were not established as indicators and data and information were thus not collected and made available via the monitoring system.
Table 3.3 below sets out the types of expected results for both Axis IV and Axis VI line of activities, together with the types of results indicators thought likely to reflect their achievement. Out of eight expected results, three have not been associated with any indicators and thus have not been measured at all. The other five have been associated with designated results indicators, one of which is related to areas where ERDF interventions were undertaken.
Table 3.3. Expected results and designated results indicators
EXPECTED RESULTS RESULT INDICATORS Axis IV Increase in tourist presences in the establishments or • An expansion of the national, but more in the area covered by re-qualification interventions importantly, international tourist presence. (%) Numbers of tourists in non-summer months per • Reduction of seasonality. inhabitant • An increase in the demand for cultural products Degree of participation in theatre and music shows and services in the region. • An increase in the value added attributed to the Not measured sector. • The achievement of a territorial rebalancing of cultural activities, by spreading them throughout Not measured the entire regional territory. • An increase the number of sites for the enjoyment of live shows, in particular developing the smaller theatres in the region (both public and Index of cultural demand (average by institute) private) and an increase in the number of events timetabled (e.g. festivals, shows, etc.). • An expansion of the national, but more Total nights spent per inhabitant importantly, international tourist presence. Axis VI • Increase the receptiveness of the tourist Innovation capacity; export of products with a establishments (hotels, etc.) and the quality of high/increasing degree of productivity within the total services offered exports Source: programme documents and case study interviews From an evaluation point of view, the extent to which envisaged results indicators can be used to infer the contribution of ERDF interventions is not very good. This is clearly a weakness which needs to be urgently addressed in future programmes. However, the qualitative interviews carried out during the case study underlined that, even though challenges in measuring achievements and results clearly still exist, the chosen regional strategy was well understood, embraced and shared by all the main stakeholders and, according to all of those interviewed, this led to a successful implementation of the programme and to the achievement of most of the expected results.
Table 3.4 below sets out Axis IV achievments for the envisaged result indicators. It is not possible to repeat this for the two relevant Lines of Activity in Axis VI since results are reported only at the level of the full Axis itself and not for individual Lines of Activity. The table shows both baselines and targets to be achieved as well the results obtained to date for the 2007-2013 programme. It should be noted that in
October 2015 40 Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
many cases projects are still running and will be only concluded at the end of 2015. The results shown in Table 3.4 are those as at the end of the year 2014, and can be expected to increase further by 2015.
Table 3.4. Axis IV - Result indicators
AXIS IV Result indicators Baseline Target 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
1) Presences of tourists in non- 0.6 0.8 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.7 summer months per inhabitant
2) Total nights spent per 2.7 4 2.8 3 3.1 3.2 3.5 3.5 3.4 3.3 inhabitant 3) Increase of tourist presences in the establishments or in the area 0 +15 +6.1 +6.1 +8.6 +13.1 +17.4 +15.8 +16.2 +15.5 covered by re-qualification interventions (%) 4) Index of cultural demand 22 27 25 26 22.1 24.7 28 26.9 27.2 27.2 (average by institute) 5) Degree of participation in 4.5 5.4 5.6 4.5 4.9 5.3 5.3 4.7 4.7 4.7 theatre and music shows Source: 2013 Annual Implementation Report.
The first two results indicators (i.e. presences of tourists in non-summer months per inhabitant and total visitor nights spent per inhabitant) mainly refer to the wider strategy objectives of: (i) achieving an expansion of national, but more importantly international tourist presences; and (ii) reducing seasonal peaking of tourist flows. In both cases the Axis target was nearly but not quite achieved as at 2014. The increase in total nights spent by tourists (per inhabitant) rose from 2.7 to 3.3.
Figures 3.1 and 3.2 show for Puglia how changes in numbers of arrivals and nights spent are divided between ‘residents’ (i.e. Italians) and ‘non-residents’ (i.e. foreign tourists). Nevertheless the figures of arrivals and nights spent increased in 2007-2013 period, there has been a slight decrease in the average presence (nights spent / arrivals). In fact, the trend in the last years is the shrinking of the duration of holidays. Note the growing importance of foreign tourism in total tourist flows and stays. To date the sharp seasonality has been largely determined by domestic Italian tourist flows. It is hoped that the increasing scale of foreign tourism will reduce seasonality.
Indicator 3 (Increase of tourist presences in the establishments or in the area covered by re-qualification interventions (%), defined as the increase in the of tourist presence (nights spent) with respect 2007), shows that target of +15% has been achieved in 2014 (+15.5%).As for cultural indicator, indicator 4 - Index of cultural demand (average by institute) (calculated as the number of visitors to state-run institutions over number of state-run institutions of arts and antiquities) also shows that the target has been reached 2014. Finally, the indicator 5 –Degree of participation in theatre and music shows (measured in average expenditure for theatre and music shows) shows that the target has not been yet reached, even if a slight increase has been registered (4,5 in 2007 to 4,7 in 2014).
October 2015 41 Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
Figure 3.1 Index numbers of tourist arrivals by Italians and foreigners (2007=100)
Source: Eurostat.
Figure 3.2. Index numbers of tourist presences: nights spent by Italians and foreigners (2007=100)
Source: Eurostat.
October 2015 42 Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
The dynamic nature of recent tourism in Puglia, driven above all by the foreign component, represents a considerable success. Foreign tourism is above the national average and is higher than other southern Italian regions. The share of foreign arrivals rose from 14.5% in 2008 to 18.0% in 2012, an increase of 3.5 percentage points. This increase is higher than the national average and higher than the rest of the South and the Islands, which show respectively increases of 3.2 and 3.0 percentage points.
According to surveys undertaken by Pugliapromozione, the average length of stay in Puglia is higher than the national average and is in line with the value for the rest of the South. Our interviewees expressed a common view that Puglia is now being chosen not solely as a ‘sea and sand’ holiday destination as in the past, but also as an art and culture destination resulting in periods of stay in which nights spent by the seaside are also accompanied by nights spent in art and culture tourist locations.
Figure 3.3 below shows the within-region pattern of foreign tourists in the year 2014. As can be seen, the majority of foreign tourists continue to favour coastal locations. Nevertheless, a number of interior areas are also now favoured, and most foreign tourists enjoy a mixture of seaside and cultural experiences.
Figure 3.3. Foreigner presences in Puglia, 2014
Source: Pugliapromozione.
According to our interviewees, the new model of governance based on integrated systems has indeed successfully resulted in a diversification in types of tourist consumption. However, no supporting evidence is provided and as Figure 3.3 has shown, seaside tourism still represents the main regional tourist product offer.
Research21 by Pugliapromozione has, however, shown that in recent years, foreign tourists have started to appreciate and discover hinterland areas, leading to increases art and culture tourism as well as wine and food tourism (see Figure 3.4). This implies, as a result, opportunities for the territorial rebalancing of tourist activities, by spreading them throughout the entire regional territory.
21 Tourist Profile & Preferences 2014, Osservatorio di Pugliapromozione
October 2015 43 Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
Figure 3.4. Tourism types favoured by Italians and foreigners, 2014
Source: Pugliapromozione.
The increase in the foreign component of tourism seems also to have resulted in the beginnings of change in the seasonal characteristics of the tourist flows too. As can be seen in Figure 3.5 below, between 2007 and 2014, nevertheless the bed occupancy rate still remain under the Italian and EU average, there was a small but significant increase in bed occupancy in tourist establishments in the months before and after summer such as April, May, September and October. The low bed occupancy rate is mainly due the very large amount of touristic establishments that are necessary to afford the very high touristic inflow during the summer season, while remaining not adequately covered during the out-of-season period.
Figure 3.5. Bed occupancy rates by month, 2007 and 2014
Source: Pugliapromozione.
October 2015 44 Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
The increases in the tourism numbers can only be related to the ERDF ROP as a proxy as no counter-factual impact evaluation has been carried out. However, the Axis IV results indicator ‘Increase of the presence in tourist establishments or in the area covered by re-qualification interventions - %’ shows a huge increase from 6.1 in 2007 to 16.2 in 2013. Being related to areas covered by ERDF interventions, this strongly suggests that ERDF interventions are having some effect.
The Axis IV results indicators ‘Index of cultural demand’ and ‘Degree of participation in theatre and music shows’ mainly refer to the wider strategy objectives of increasing cultural consumption within the region. Both indicators had reached the original targets set by 2013. The index of cultural demand shows a large increase, moving from a baseline equal to 22.0 to a result achieved in 2013 equal to 27.2; the degree of participation in theatre and music shows also shows an overall increase from baseline (from 4.5 to 4.7) even though, because of the economic crisis, results achieved in 2010 and 2011 (5.3) showed a decline.
In addition to the specific results indicators, discussions with our interviewees strongly suggest that the general impression that appears to be held - even if not supported by quantitative evidence - is that the mix of different interventions (e.g. infrastructure recovering, promotional activities, cultural and show activities) implemented thanks to ERDF financing produced an overall growth of the capacity of the regional system. Moreover, ERDF help has also enhanced local stakeholder participation in a new Multi Level Governance system and has helped with a rebalancing of the different inland and coastal areas.
As for the future sustainability of financed projects (and their results), while this aspect was included among proposal selection criteria for projects, it was unfortunately not measured by the MA during project implementation and, at the moment, there is no intention to follow up the financed projects to assess their future sustainability. During the interviews it was widely felt that most of the financed projects were worth continuing in the next programming period.
More positive is the now widely held impression among the interviewees that Puglia has considerable potential for further future growth associated with cultural consumption. In this sense the decision to integrate the culture and tourism sector strategies has been very useful, and may continue in the future to offer new opportunities. However, most of the interviewees recognised that the issue of sustainability in the absence of ERDF financing is still a problematic one. There is still a high dependency on public financial resources, especially for cultural and natural goods, and there remains an acute scarcity of national dedicated resources. Increasing the role of private firms in partnership with public bodies remains a challenge given the small nature of the region’s firms, together with the economic crisis that is still hitting the southern Italian regions very hard. The region is also still being hampered by binding national and regional government administrative procedures when dealing with cultural and natural goods. As noted earlier in Section 3, the involvement of firms directly in selection procedures was only possible in Line of Activity 4.3 (Development of cultural activities and entertainments such as fairs, festivals, live shows, etc) and not in the other Lines of Activity.
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4 Conclusions and lessons learned
This final section sets out a broad overview of how ERDF has operated in the context of culture and tourism policy in Puglia in 2007-2013. Conclusions are drawn and specific lessons for future policy in the two sectors identified. An attempt is also made to spell out what has worked and what has not in the implementation of the strategy.
Key findings from the case study have been the following:
1. The ERDF regional strategy on tourism and culture appears to have been a relevant one. The strategy is integrated into a wider and new (with respect to the previous 2000-2006 programming period) policy strategy that sought to move away from a more traditional vision of culture by stimulating both public and private actors towards a more innovative and evolutionary vision of cultural resources. There has also been an attempt to promote more creativity in order to take fuller advantage of the full growth potential that could be derived by this new vision. This has led to an attempt to produce a fuller integration of tourism in the wider overall development strategy, a closer integration of culture with tourism, and the incorporation of tourism goals in other wider regional development strategies. The underlying rationale of the ERDF strategy for culture and tourism was thus more strictly linked to a clearer definition and promotion of Puglia‘s competitive assets compared with other tourist destinations in the central part of the Mediterranean Sea; a better segmentation of tourism targets according to specific tourist characteristics, their backgrounds and expectations; and as a consequence, a more targeted branding of Puglia as a region. 2. The implementation of the ERDF regional strategy on tourism and culture is assessed as satisfactory. Although the programme has been implemented in the context of deep economic crisis, which has a radically altered the social economic situation and forecasts prevailing at the time of programming, the Axes and Measures on which the analysis was concentrated have exhibited a steady pace of implementation and have shown a high level of financial implementation and absorption of the funding resources available to date (see paragraphs 4.2 and 4.3). However, in the absence of adequate indicators, the achievement of the results expected by those operations that have been implemented cannot be fully assessed at this time. 3. The effectiveness of the ERDF regional strategy on tourism and culture is assessed as satisfactory as main set objectives were achieved (see paragraph 4.3). However, the project monitoring and evaluation was limited and hampered the effective assessment of results. The need to implement a more comprehensive monitoring system able to collect and measure data that could better reflect the articulated strategy results was considered essential also by almost all those interviewed. 4. The new governance approach is assessed as producing a genuinely new and inclusive MLG system, particularly through the experimentation with ECSs within the framework of the ‘area vasta’ and local tourist systems as well as the wider array of functions for the new Regional Tourism Agency, functions which go well beyond the narrow promotional activities which have dominated these types
October 2015 47 Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
of agencies in the past. Moreover, the region has in the 2007-2013 programme deliberately sought to more closely integrate ERDF and other national and regional financial resources in its interlinked culture and tourism strategy. Almost all our interviewees, drawn from the region’s stakeholders, felt that this has strongly contributed to tourism growth in terms of efficiency and effectiveness of the policies implemented. However the MA did not collect sufficient conclusive evidence to support these conclusions. 5. The sustainability of the ERDF regional strategy on tourism and culture is assessed as problematic. The experiment with the ECSs shows that the drafting of a shared and negotiated plan is essential to support future sustainability of the policy. However, most of the interviewees pointed out that the tourism and cultural systems are still very weak given the paucity of current public funding and given the continuous shrinking of national funding. ERDF seems to have been essential in the 2007-2013 programme period and this is likely to also be the case for the next programming period. 6. The sustainability of the single financed projects on tourism and culture was not assessed ex post. Sustainability was only considered as a criteria in the funding assignments. 7. The main added value of the EU strategy is at the local level. The experimentation with the ECSs as a way of integrating within specific local areas cultural, environmental and tourism strategies, together with a tourism promotion and communication strategy common to both the national and international levels, allowed the availability of a more coherent regional frameworks for territorial planning, tourism planning, and culture sector enhancement as well as a greater awareness and participation of local public and private decision-makers as well as the wider public in tourism development policy. However, it was recognised that there is not always adequate institutional capacity within the local actors in charge of the integrated strategies for the identification, design and planning of ‘strong ideas’ within the integration strategies. Thus the greater involvement of the local (sub-regional) areas and the local stakeholders needs to be better supported in terms of capacity building and with the involvement of non-institutional actors and local communities. Moreover, new legislative frameworks and procedures at national level did not always march in step with those being developed at the regional and local level. The national wider re-organisation (for example the dissolution of the Provinces which is currently taking place) in various ways ‘impacted’ on the regional re-organisation and the creation of new forms of participatory governance involving regional and local stakeholders. Interviewees suggested that in some cases the regional reforms were being undertaken in the context of an uncertain national framework. Problems were also encountered in overcoming restrictions (for example protective environmental restrictions) on new public-private partnerships.
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References
• ERDF ROP 2007-2013 of the Puglia Region (POR FESR 2007-2013 Regione Puglia). • ERDF ROP 2007-2013 of the Puglia Region Annual Implementation Report, 2012, 2013, 2014. • ERDF ROP 2007-2013 of the Puglia Region Axis IV Implementation Programme 2012-2014 (Programma Pluriennale di Attuazione Asse IV 2012-2014). • ERDF 2007-2013 Interregional operational programme ‘POIN Cultural, natural and tourist attractors (POIN FESR 2007-2013 – Programma Operativo Interregionale “Attrattori culturali, natura e turismo”). • Puglia Region, Tourist Triennial Regional Programme 2012-2014 (Programma triennale del Turismo, 2012-2014). • Montalbano P., Palumbo F., Valentino P.A. (2014), ‘Culture and Creativity as drivers for Local Sustainable Economic Development’, Project Wealth Local Sustainable Economic Development Research Group Working Papers.
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Appendix
Table A1. Stakeholders interviewed
Name Role Contacts President of Public Investment Regional tel. +39 080/5404275 Giuseppe Moro Evaluation Unit – Puglia Region [email protected] Member of Public Investment Regional tel. +39 080/5404275 Laura Tagle Evaluation Unit – Puglia Region [email protected] Director of Promotion of Territory Francesco tel. +39 080 5405615-51 Department of Puglia Region Palumbo [email protected] Coordinator Axis IV ERDF OP Promotion of Territory Department of Puglia Region tel. +39 080 5406496 Silvia Pellegrini Responsible of Activity line 4.2 within [email protected] Axis IV ERDF OP Promotion of Territory Department of Puglia Region tel. +39 080 5406494 Antonio Lombardo Responsible of Activity line 4.2.1 within [email protected] Axis IV ERDF OP tel. +39.080.582.14.11 Giancarlo Piccirillo Director of Pugliapromozione [email protected] tel. +39 080 975 29 00 Cristina Piscitelli EU Projects - Apulia Film Commission [email protected] tel. +39 080/5580195 Sante Levante Director of Teatro Pubblico Pugliese [email protected] Responsible of ERDF Projects - Teatro tel. +39 080 55.80.195 Claudia Sergio Pubblico Pugliese [email protected] Director of Parco Naturale Regionale "Dune costiere da Torre Canne a Torre tel. +39 0831 307000 Gianfranco Ciola S. Leonardo" [email protected] C/O Comune di Ostuni (BR) Responsible for the project SAC Salento tel. +39 0833 902711 Luisella Guerrieri di Mare e Pietre [email protected] C/O Comune di Alliste (LE) Director Community Strategic Planning tel.+39 0832 682990 Raffaele Parlangeli – Lecce Municipality – Salento Broad [email protected] area Regional Counselor of Mediterranean, Tel.+39 080 5406536 Sivia Godelli Culture and Tourism [email protected]
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Annex 1: Additional Information To The Main Report
Additional information on the Puglia geo-institutional context
Puglia is one of the 20 Administrative Regions of Italy which, together with the municipal and provincial/metropolitan government bodies, constitute the administrative infrastructure of the nation. The capital of the region is Bari, which is also one of the nine Metropolitan Areas designated by the national government22. Established in 1970 as part of a new system of decentralized government23, the regional administrations have acquired an increasing level of autonomy over the years and have effectively become local governments with extensive regulatory powers in a great number of areas. A 2001 reform of the Italian Constitutional Law expanded th system of multi-level governance (MLG)24, granting to the regional councils all the administrative functions that are not otherwise reserved to higher levels of governance (i.e. the nation and the EU). This reform established at the same time ‘concurrent’ responsibilities to be shared between regions and nation. Policies for the cultural sector – traditionally under the responsibility of the nation25 now fall under the ‘concurrent responsibilities’ and sadly have become a permanent source of conflict, resulting in frequent appeals to the Constitutional Court.
From the very creation of the Italian State, the prominence of Italy's heritage as the cornerstone of its national cultural policy has been emphasized. ‘Safeguarding’ and ‘restoration’ being the key functions absorbing most of the State's activities and financial resources allocated to the cultural field.
22 Named after government undersecretary Graziano Del Rio, a recent reform (law 56/2014) is abolishing the Provinces and establishing new Metropolitan Areas. Bari became a Metropolitan Area in December 2014. 23 While long envisaged by the Italian Constitution (1948), Regions were in fact only established by Law 108 of February 1970. 24 The reform of Title V, Part 2, of Italy's Constitution as brought about by Constitutional Act no. 3/2001 introduced substantial innovations into the organisation of public authorities in Italy. The Act marked a shift from a centralised to a multi-polar system of institutions, whose main characteristic is its multilevel nature. The role played by the autonomies was especially strengthened in order to implement the relevant principle as set out in Article 5 of Italy's Constitution. This is unquestionably the direction in which the new wording of Article 114(1) of Italy's Constitution is going, since it reads as follows: "The Republic is comprised of Municipalities, Provinces, Metropolitan Cities, Regions, and the State”. 25 During the 1970s, immediately after the creation of the Regions, Leg. Decree 112/1971 was adopted. This conferred on the regional governments a number of limited responsibilities in the cultural field, restricted to local museums, libraries and archives. Despite strong pressure for more cultural empowerment from the Regions, Parliament, while transferring to the Regions greater responsibilities for the environment, delays have occurred with the transferring of cultural responsibilities. Indeed, the only responsibility transferred was the decree dealing with "cultural promotion of local interest" (Leg. Decree 616/1977). This quite general concept was flexible enough, however, to open the door for more regional laws also dealing with heritage and the performing arts. After a rather quiet period in the 1980s, the decentralisation process was renewed at the end of the 1990s with the adoption of Law 59/1997 followed by Leg. Decree 112/1998. The latter, however, adopted a much more restricted scope for cultural decentralisation than Law 59. Such legislation was ultimately endorsed and further specified by Constitutional Law 3/2001, and, subsequently, by the Heritage Codex.
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The valorisation of Italy's cultural and artistic heritage became enshrined within subsequent legislation adopted26. Support for new forms of cultural creativity continued to be a low priority till mid-1970s when a rationalisation process of cultural responsibilities at the national level was finally started27.
At the turn of the century, a new economic emphasis on the production of non- material goods and services, and thus the central role acquired by cultural policies in the framework of development policies in Italy, played a significant role in removing the last obstacles to a full rationalisation of the State’s cultural competencies28.
Finally, since 2013, recognizing that ‘cultural tourism’ can play a particularly important role in enhancing Italy’s tourism attractiveness, the Ministry for Culture was granted further competencies for tourism, being renamed the Ministry for the Heritage, Cultural Activities and Tourism (MIBACT). The Ministers heading MIBACT – Massimo Bray, followed by Dario Franceschini – quickly exhibited a firm commitment to tackle some of the most pressing emergencies affecting the cultural sector. Two important, wide-ranging laws encompassing the safeguarding of heritage and a re-launch of cultural and tourism development have been adopted: respectively Law 122/2013 - Valore cultura (Urgent measures for the safeguarding of, the valorisation of, and the re-launch of cultural goods and activities and of tourism policy), and Law 106/2014 - Art bonus (Urgent measures for the safeguarding of the country's cultural heritage, cultural development and the re-launch of tourism policy).
Additional information on the Axis IV achieved outputs
Taking each of the four Axis IV Lines of Activities in turn:
Line of activity 4.1(infrastructures, promotion and valorisation enhancing the tourism economy)
Table A1.1 shows the disaggregation of the 323 projects financed under Line of Activity 4.1 (Infrastructures, promotion and valorisation enhancing the tourism economy) by sub-lines and intervention typologies.
26 The first laws pertaining to cultural matters were adopted by the Parliament in 1902 and 1909, focusing mainly on safeguarding the heritage. In reality, given the unparalleled wealth of Italian historic and artistic assets and the considerable burden of its maintenance on the public purse, heritage has always represented the dominant domain of public policy in the cultural sector. 27 The first step was the creation, in 1975, of a separate Ministry for Heritage, formed by regrouping responsibilities for museums and monuments, libraries, cultural institutions from the Ministry of Education, for archives from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and for book publishing from the Prime Minister's Office. 28 In 1998, the government extended the scope of the Ministry for Heritage to embrace responsibility for the performing arts and cinema, previously entrusted to the Prime Minister's Office. Further responsibilities on copyright were added in 2000, when the reformed Ministry for Heritage and Cultural Activities had finally achieved the full status of a ministry for culture comparable to those of most other European countries. Only responsibilities for support and regulation of television, radio and the press, as well as artistic training and arts education, remain out of its reach.
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Table A1.1. Line of Activity 4.1 (Infrastructures, promotion and valorisation enhancing the tourism economy) outputs (in terms of financial resources and number of financed projects) by sub-lines and intervention typologies.
Sub-lines of activity Financed Financial Certified and intervention projects % amount of % % expenditure typologies 2014 projects 4.1.1 49 15.2% 75,997,378 45.1% 58,647,301 77.2% A 1 2.0% 2,000,000 2.6% 1,243,777 62.2% B 33 67.3% 48,151,562 63.4% 42,403,592 88.1% C 15 30.6% 25,845,815 34.0% 14,999,933 58.0% 4.1.2 272 84.2% 88,001,257 52.2% 72,023,083 81.8% A 58 21.3% 14,527,338 16.5% 12,882,371 88.7% B 20 7.4% 15,186,048 17.3% 12,595,064 82.9% C 1 0.4% 60,000 0.1% 60,000 100.0% D 30 11.0% 25,607,420 29.1% 20,584,274 80.4% E 159 58.5% 26,482,595 30.1% 21,619,628 81.6% F 4 1.5% 6,137,855 7.0% 4,281,746 69.8% 4.1.3 2 0.6% 4,610,896 2.7% 1,235,605 26.8% A 2 100.0% 4,610,896 100.0% 1,235,605 26.8% 4.1 323 100.0% 168,609,531 100.0% 131,905,990 78.2% Source: Regional monitoring database of ERDF projects (updated at 31.12.2014)
The sub-line of activity 4.1.1 (Actions for the completion of the infrastructure to support the tourist economy, tourist ports, removal of architectural barriers in the sites of tourist importance), financed 49 projects for more of Euro 75 Million of which 77.2% were certified as completed. As Figure A1.1 below shows, resources have been mainly invested in the typology of intervention B (which includes infrastructure and facilities - roads, signage, lighting, street furniture, routes and trails, parking areas, picnic areas) to improve the use of and access to tourism resources and interventions aimed at the tourist development.
Examples of interventions are (a) the restyling of a seventeenth contury which now includes a multi-media museum, (b) an innovative museum on energy, (c) the masterplan for the Bisceglie waterfront, and (d) the restructuring of the tourist information points Murgia of the Trulli and Valle d’Itria (Sportelli Informativi della Murgia dei Trulli e della Valle d’Itria) which are being provided as part of a project for the re-organization of the touristic information points in tourist areas of Puglia. This latter project has been recently implemented (November 2014), and represents an innovative intervention for several reasons. On the one hand, it has been awarded to a private organization, which is in charge of the reorganization of the eight tourist information points by providing better qualified human resources and increasing the opening hours. The private organization is financed by a financial contribution for the start-up phase in the first year of the activities. For the following four years, the private organization must assure as a minimum the same level of service as before in terms of both quantity and quality. The project is of particular interest because it represents an experiment of integration of several local stakeholders, such as those already involved in Local Action Groups, cultural heritage groups and cultural activity groups in collaboration with local authorities, under the coordination and supervision of Pugliapromozione.
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Figure A1.1: Percentage of financed projects within the ROP sub-line of activity 4.1.1 by typologies of intervention
2.6%
34.0%
63.4%
A B C
Legend: D. Interventions to improve tourist reception, aimed at a better use and provision of dedicated services E. Infrastructure and facilities (roads, signage, lighting, street furniture, routes and trails, parking areas, picnic areas) to improve the use of and access to tourism resources and interventions aimed at tourism development F. Improvement and strengthening of the regional system of tourist harbors
Source: Regional monitoring database of ERDF projects (updated at 31.12.2014)
The sub-line of activity 4.1.2 (Actions for the enhancement and promotion of the region through the development of specific marketing actions aimed at strengthening the attraction of Puglia’s tourist destinations in national and international markets), financed the majority of projects within Line of Activity 4.1 (272 projects out of 323 total projects for more than Euro 88 Million, of which the 81.8% was certified completed).
As Figure A1.2 below shows, resources have been mainly (more than half in total) invested in the typologies of intervention D (Programs aimed at promoting and enhancing regional tourism) and E (Integrated communication plans). Interventions aimed at supporting the LTSs and the implementation of sectoral activities were also implemented.
October 2015 55 Ex post evaluation of Cohesion Policy programmes 2007-2013, focusing on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF) – Work Package nine: Culture and Tourism
Figure A1.2. Percentage of financed projects within the ROP sub-line of activity 4.1.2 by typologies of intervention
7.0% 16.5%
30.1% 17.3%
29.1% 0.1%
A B C D E F
Legend: A. Promotion of the regional tourism system through initiatives of hospitality and educational tours B. Promotion of the regional tourism system through the organization of and/or participation in sectoral initiatives at national and international level C. Awareness-raising campaigns for local communities and the regional business system D. Programmes aimed at promoting and enhancing regional tourism E. Integrated communication plans F. Strategic planning, industry analysis and implementation activities of the local tourist systems (LTSs)
Source: Regional monitoring database of ERDF projects (updated at 31.12.2014)
Examples of interventions are (a) a set of newly designed educational tours, (b) the design and implementation of the new web portal for tourism and of a e-booking platform, (c) the development of an on-line system aimed at increasing the networking of the 4,500 tourism firms in the region, (d) a new Observatory of Tourism which, since January 2013, has developed an on-line survey and analysis of main data on tourism in the region, and (e) several initiatives implemented by Pugliapromozione such as the project ‘Open Days’ (see more in the Box below) and ‘Buy Puglia – Meeting & Travel Experience’ which enables international buyers to learn about the different offers of leisure products in Puglia. The promoted events take place annually (the second such event took place in 2014) at La Fiera del Levante di Bari, giving Puglia operators (primarily accommodation providers and intermediate tourism operators) the opportunity to present their services to a selection of foreign operators from some 30 European and other global markets (for more details see Mini Case- Study 1).
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Box A1.1 – An example of 4.1.2 sub-line of activity interventions: Open Days Open Days is a project for the enhancement and increased quality of local tourism services which organizes and makes more accessible sites of art, nature, and food experiences available in the region in order to better exploit the cultural, natural and food and wine heritage of Puglia as a tourist product of excellence on national and international markets. The project was carried out in collaboration with the natural parks, nature reserves, and protected marine areas present in the region, together with environmental and cultural systems and the eco-museums recognized by the Puglia Region government, as well as with networks of private operators such as wineries, farms, cultural associations, companies and professionals working in the tourism sector. Each year (in 2014 the third set of these events took place), in particular in the spring-summer period, though also extending in some cases into the winter period, the project organizes events and initiatives throughout the region, in particular by providing free guided tours to the most important attractions, sometimes taking advantage of specially staged unscheduled openings. Puglia Open Days has made possible greater and more widespread enjoyment of Puglia’s landmarks, attempting to make them all accessible simultaneously and with higher quality guided tours. This project has promoted the creation of various different itineraries of food and wine tasting, of nature experiences, and of historical and architectural sites of interest. The activities of Puglia Open Days have been implemented through the signing of a special agreement between Pugliapromozione and the different stakeholders, which are the entities and consortia of the management of natural parks, reserves, protected areas, the single Municipality of the SIC – Sites of Community Interest (Siti di interesse comunitario), and the ECS – Environmental and Cultural System (Sistema Ambientale e Culturale). The project has spread its activities widely throughout the entire regional and national territory, seeking to achieve the important objective of stimulating, building, and consolidating the presence of a qualified widespread network of tourist operators and services in the different areas of Puglia. These have been integrated with the institutional activities of Pugliapromozione itself, as well as with the regional Network of the IAT offices, the different communication campaigns and promotion of a more unified image of Puglia. In 2014 there were about 200,000 visitors that took part in the various activities under this part of the program from April 2014 to January 2015.
Finally, sub-line of activity 4.1.3 (Development of hospitality structures and leisure facilities for social tourism, in rural and beach contexts as well as in the old town centers), a small sub-line, financed two projects aimed at organizing a network spread on the territory of structures dedicated to social tourism such as sport and leisure structures addressed also to people with disability.
Line of activity 4.2 (Protection, enhancement and management of the cultural heritage)
Table A1.2 below shows the disaggregation of the 298 projects financed under the 4.2 Line of Activity (Protection, enhancement and management of the cultural heritage) by sub-lines and intervention typologies. In the Table only projects financed under the sub-line of activity 4.2.1 are reported because projects under sub-line 4.2.2 (Promotion and integration of networks of cultural systems) were moved from the ERDF ROP to be financed under the National Cohesion Plan - PAC (see on this footnote 16).
Table A1.2. Line of Activity 4.2 (Protection, enhancement and management of the cultural heritage) outputs (in terms of financial resources and number of financed projects) by sub-lines and intervention typologies.
Sub-lines of activity Financed Financial Certified and intervention projects % amounts of % % 31.12.2014 typologies 2014 projects 4.2.1 298 100.0% 148,449,208 100.0% 117,082,354 78.9% A 154 51.7% 85,422,486 57.5% 67,857,965 79.4% B 48 16.1% 7,643,885 5.1% 7,266,658 95.1% C 19 6.4% 20,085,022 13.5% 14,878,204 74.1% D 34 11.4% 14,440,656 9.7% 10,783,457 74.7% E 11 3.7% 2,307,549 1.6% 1,627,148 70.5% F 30 10.1% 16,451,131 11.1% 13,868,923 84.3% G 2 0.7% 2,098,480 1.4% 800,000 38.1% 4.2 298 100.0% 148,449,208 100.0% 117,082,354 78.9% Source: Regional monitoring database of ERDF projects (updated at 31.12.2014)
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The sub-line of activity 4.2.1 (Actions to complete and expand the network of cultural heritage, archaeological sites, museums, public libraries, historical archives, historical theatres, castles and cathedrals) financed a total of 298 projects for more than Euro 148 Million, of which 78.9% has been certified completed. As Figure A1.3 shows, resources have been mainly (57.5%) invested in the typology of intervention A which includes interventions for the recovery, restoration and enhancement of monuments in the historic/artistic areas covered by Puglia’s 10 ‘area vasta’. Other types of intervention comprise much smaller amounts of spending.
Figure A1.3: Percentage of financed projects within the ROP sub-line of activity 4.2.1 by typologies of intervention
1.4% 1.6% 11.1%
9.7%
13.5% 57.5%
5.1%
A B C D E F G
Legend: H. Recovery, restoration and enhancement of monuments in historic/artistic areas I. Restoration and upgrading of the cultural heritage assets of ‘minor’ importance J. Interventions for the restoration and enhancement of historic theatres of (infrastructure, furniture, ICT) K. Intervention on adaptation of museums and improvement of museum services L. Requalification and enhancement of the system of archives M. Requalification and enhancement of the system of libraries N. Integrated interventions of infrastructure and promotion of systems and network of cultural heritage
Source: Regional monitoring database of ERDF projects (updated at 31.12.2014)
Line of activity 4.3 (Development of cultural activities and entertainment)
Table A1.3 below shows the disaggregation of the 329 projects financed under Line of Activity 4.3 (Development of cultural activities and entertainment) by sub-lines and intervention typologies. These projects overall contributed to the strengthening of the innovation capacity of the system of Puglia cultural production, and the consolidation of the tourism brand on domestic and foreign markets. The line has shown a strongly positive performance to date in terms of physical and financial progress, with a certified expenditure of 90.1%.
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Table A1.3: Line of Activity 4.3 (Development of cultural activities and entertainment) outputs (in terms of financial resources and number of financed projects) by sub-lines and intervention typologies.
Financial Sub-lines of activity and Financed Certified % amount of % % intervention typologies projects 2014 31.12.2014 projects 4.3.1 77 23.4% 20,865,890 35.3% 18,990,929 91.0% A 7 2.1% 2,970,000 5.0% 2,142,399 72.1% B 62 18.8% 12,697,890 21.5% 12,050,552 94.9% C 8 2.4% 5,198,000 8.8% 4,797,978 92.3% 4.3.2 252 76.6% 38,189,609 64.7% 34,222,315 89.6% A 1 0.4% 1,000,000 2.6% 950,000 95.0% B 24 9.5% 1,289,085 3.4% 1,239,585 96.2% C 3 1.2% 603,000 1.6% 603,000 100.0% D 198 78.6% 11,975,451 31.4% 10,288,453 85.9% E 1 0.4% 1,000,000 2.6% 950,000 95.0% F 1 0.4% 36,391 0.1% 36,391 100.0% G 1 0.4% 900,000 2.4% 900,000 100.0% H 2 0.8% 1,986,000 5.2% 1,881,891 94.8% I 17 6.7% 7,314,682 19.2% 5,964,954 81.5% L 3 1.2% 11,085,000 29.0% 10,458,042 94.3% M 1 0.4% 1,000,000 2.6% 950,000 95.0% 4.3 329 100.0% 59,055,499 100.0% 53,213,245 90.1% Source: Regional monitoring database of ERDF projects (updated at 31.12.2014)
The sub-line of activity 4.3.1 (Development of services for promotion, communications, and digital technology for the tourist development in the territory and the cultural heritage in order to increase the attractiveness of the area for television and film production) financed a total of 77 projects for more than Euro 20 Million, of which 90.1% was certified as completed. As Figure A1.4 below shows, resources have been mainly invested in the typology of intervention B (more than 60%) which include interventions and big events within the movie and audiovisual field (the regional network of cinemas and festivals). Projects were largely being implemented through the Apulia Film Commission – AFC (see Box A1.2 below).
Figure A1.4: Percentage of financed projects within the ROP sub-line of activity 4.3.1 by typologies of intervention
14.2% 24.9%
60.9%
A B C
Legend: E. Interventions for support of the regional system of film production, multimedia and audiovisual activities (incentives for equipment, ICT, etc. and for SME’s in the sector) F. Activities and big events within the movie and audiovisual field (regional networks of cinemas and festivals) G. Valorisation and communication relating to location of Puglia (educational tours, international workshops for attracting international operators, integrated communication plans, international events and fairs)
Source: Regional monitoring database of ERDF projects (updated at 31.12.2014)
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Box A1.2 – An example of 4.3.1 sub-line of activity interventions: The Apulia Film Commission The Apulia Film Commission (AFC) Foundation, set up under regional government legislation, was established in 2007 with the aim of attracting audio-visual production companies to the area through the good value of its facilities, the professionalism of its skilled personnel and the reduction of costs for travel, casting, crew and location scouting in the region. AFC provides a variety of free services designed to solve logistical problems. It has its headquarter in Bari, at the Cineport Hub, and has two local offices - the Cineport Hubs in Lecce and Foggia. The Cineport Hub in Bari covers an area of 1,200 m² at the Fiera del Levante trade fair complex and provides audio-visual production offices, casting rooms, make-up and hairdressing studios, a costume department, a props and scenery storage area and workshop and a 95-seater full HD Dolby Surround cinema. The Lecce Cineport hub comprises 500 m² of space with parking facilities for production vehicles and areas for exhibitions. The Foggia Cineport Hub is a 3,000 m² multi-purpose structure, with a fully-equipped 400 m² TV studio, a production booth, four editing rooms, two soundproof rooms, meeting rooms tailored for workshops and teaching activities, a dressing room, a reception room with check point, an 80-seater cine-forum area with widescreen facilities and a scenery and equipment depository. AFC is not only an entity focused on promotion and attraction for national and international cinema production chains, but also an overall cultural organisation developing videos, audio-visual and cinema in the whole region. AFC organizes the annual Bari International Film Festival and the Festival of Real Cinema in Specchia (Lecce) and leads the D’Autore project, a Quality Cinema Network initiative promoting quality film screening through the creation of a network covering all six provinces of Puglia. Among its most relevant activities, several annual film festivals were carried out, including the Independent Film Festival of Foggia and Bif&st (Bari International Film Festival), reaching the fifth edition in 2014. AFC has to date financed 163 productions and produced 14 shorts and documentaries, some of which have been awarded prizes at international festivals. A total of 57 out of the financed productions are feature films and 20 are on international themes. AFC also deals with training. Its workshops are ‘Puglia Experience’, addressed to screenwriters from all over the world and ‘Closing the Gap: Investment for 360° Content’ (in collaboration with Peacefulfish, the Western Norway Film Centre and Program MEDIA), dedicated to European film producers.
The sub-line of activity 4.3.2 (Development of artistic and cultural events) financed a total of 252 projects for more than Euro 38 Million, of which the 89.6% is certified as completed. The majority of projects in this Line are devoted to the enhancement of the excellence of festivals and exhibitions, and are included in festivals and major live events and performances. These events are aimed at strengthening the excellence of the festivals and in enhancing major events in theatre, music and dance in the region, with the aim of mobilizing significant new flows of tourists and spectators because of their cultural relevance and quality and to contribute to the positioning of the Puglia region in international routes of cultural tourism. As Figure A1.5 below shows, resources have been mainly invested in the typologies of intervention D and J which include festival and big event live shows and music and dance events.
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Figure A1.5: Percentage of financed projects within the ROP sub-line of activity 4.3.2 by typologies of intervention
2.6% 2.6% 3.4% 1.6%
29.0% 31.4%
19.2% 5.2%
2.6% 2.4% 0.1%
A B C D E F G H I J K
Legend: J. Integrated communication interventions for cultural productions of Puglia: festivals, exhibitions and cultural events K. Exhibitions and workshops on visual arts, multimedia and photography L. Relevant cultural events M. Festivals and big event live shows N. Cultural events aiming at valorization of the territory O. Studies and research on regional cultural activities P. Technical assistance to the Regional Steering Committee on Cultural Activities (monitoring and evaluation) Q. Internationalization of cultural activities (participation in international events, marketing, etc.) R. Life show events in a regional context (e.g. theatre events in local theatres, e.g. ‘Residenze teatrali’) S. Improvement and valorization of music and dance events (e.g. Puglia Sounds) T. International music fairs (e.g. Medimex) Source: Regional monitoring database of ERDF projects (updated at 31.12.2014)
Examples of interventions implemented through a regional leadership are those carried out by the Apulian Public Theatre (Teatro Pubblico Pugliese - TPP). Among its ERDF-financed projects, of particular note is the project ‘Residences Theatre’, an initiative included as part of the set of proposals for the Puglia region in support of the creative industry. These are designed to spread theatre culture within the region, and enhance the capacity for regional theatres to provide services and theatre performances for the three years of the 2012-2014 season (see Box A1.3 below).
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Box A1.3 – An example of 4.3.2 sub-line of activity interventions: Public Puglia Theatre and its main initiatives Public Puglia Theatre (TPP) is an initiative recognized by the Ministry of Cultural Activities and Cultural Heritage and by the Puglia regional government. Some 52 Municipalities, the Provinces and the Puglia region government have joined with the TPP to develop its activities. The TPP plays a strategic role in the design, implementation, and management of many of the cultural activities of the region. In particular, it is responsible for the dissemination of culture through theatre performances, dance, children’s theatre and music performances throughout Puglia. TPP is responsible for various activities that are of particular interest for the implementation of the ERDF strategy on culture in the Puglia region. TPP has been among the first Italian theatre circuits to be successfully created, with about 500 performances and more than 130,000 participants annually. Among its main initiatives, living theaters (Teatri Abitati) is an action aiming at supporting public entities in managing theatrical spaces, regional theatre and dance companies and producing cultural activity. Teatri Abitati is a project that gives 13 regional theatre companies the opportunity to showcase their artistic and organizational skills for the organization of exhibitions, promotion and education of the public, production of live performances, technical and administrative management skills at performance venues with activities extending beyond the Municipal boundaries with hospitality towards (and in partnership with) other regional theatre companies. It is an initiative that is part of the spectrum of activities developed in support of the creative industry and geared towards a network strategy for the development of the economy of knowledge. This has resulted in more widespread cultural promotion in the various locations of Puglia theatres, and these are distributed throughout the various Provinces of Puglia. TPP is also responsible for Puglia Sounds (www.pugliasounds.it), the programme for the development of music systems (in particular the various artistic, professional, business and institutional components) that contribute to music creation, production, distribution and promotion of the region (for more details see Mini Case Study 2).
Line of activity 4.4 (Interventions for an ecological network)
Table A1.4 shows the disaggregation of the 59 projects financed under the Line of Activity 4.4 (Interventions for an ecological network) by sub-lines and intervention typologies. These projects, mostly encompassing infrastructure intervention for the recovery of functional sites of natural interest, overall contributed to the development of Protected Natural Areas, the development of ‘green tourism’ and sustainable territorial marketing. The line has a positive performance in terms of physical and financial progress with a certified expenditure of 79.3%.
Table A1.4: Line of Activity 4.4 (Interventions for an ecological network) outputs (in terms of financial resources and number of financed projects) by sub-lines and intervention typologies.
Financed Financial Sub-lines of activity and Certified projects % amounts of % % intervention typologies 31.12.2014 2014 projects 4.4.1 41 69.5% 14,706,593 54.2% 12,018,113 81.7% A 12 29.3% 3,512,542 23.9% 2,811,578 80.0% B 10 24.4% 2,275,088 15.5% 1,791,444 78.7% C 13 31.7% 4,492,877 30.6% 3,671,001 81.7% D 2 4.9% 2,451,086 16.7% 2,016,815 82.3% E 4 9.8% 1,975,000 13.4% 1,727,276 87.5% 4.4.2 1 1.7% 230,000 0.8% 226,149 98.3% A 1 100.0% 230,000 100.0% 226,149 98.3% 4.4.3 17 28.8% 12,202,492 45.0% 9,282,447 76.1% A 17 100.0% 12,202,492 100.0% 9,282,447 76.1% 4.4 59 100.0% 27,139,085 100.0% 21,526,710 79.3% Source: Regional monitoring database of ERDF projects (updated at 31.12.2014)
The sub-line of activity 4.4.1 (Interventions for the greater use - also with tourism aims - of natural areas) financed a total of 41 projects for more of Euro 14 Million, of which the 81.7% was certified as completed. As Figure A1.6 below shows, resources have been heavily invested in the typology of intervention C aimed at establishing cycling routes for eco-tourism within regional natural parks (30.6% of the total).
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Figure A1.6: Percentage of financed projects within the ROP sub-line of activity 4.4.1 by typologies of intervention
13.4% 23.9%
16.7%
15.5%
30.6%
A B C D E
Legend: F. Recovery of buildings for tourist accommodation G. Projects and realization of the network of trails for hiking H. Cycling routes for eco-tourism I. Reconstruction of naturalistic sites J. Studies and research on naturalistic sites
Source: Regional monitoring database of ERDF projects (updated at 31.12.2014)
The sub-line of activity 4.4.2 (Promotion and enhancement of natural heritages also with tourism aims) financed only one project related to the drafting of a Quality Chart for the promotion of the region: a European Chart for the Sustainable Tourism (CETS).
The Chart is a methodological tool which allows the attainment of certification for the care of protected areas and for the development of sustainable tourism. CETS has been drafted with the collaboration of all the region’s stakeholders and it is coordinated by Europarc Federation which, through the support of the national sections of the federation (as Federparchi-Europarc Italia) manages the certification procedures. Puglia put forward seven regional parks and obtained the quality certification for all of them.
Finally, the sub-line of activity 4.4.3 financed 17 projects for the recovery of rural buildings for tourist accommodation.
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Annex 2: Statistical data
Table A2.1. A general overview of the social and economic conditions of the region
Puglia Italy EU ∆ ∆ ∆ 2007- 2007- 2007- 2007 2013 2013 2007 2013 2013 2007 2013 2013 (% or (% or (% or pp ) pp ) pp ) Total population (million) 4.0 4.1 0.5% 58.2 59.7 2.5% 498.4 507.2 1.8% - male (million) 2.0 2.0 0.3% 28.2 28.9 2.4% 243.0 247.6 1.9% - female (million) 2.1 2.1 0.6% 30.0 30.8 2.6% 255.4 259.6 1.6% Population education level (% tertiary educated to Level 5-6) 11.2 13.2 2.0 pp 13.6 16.3 2.7 pp 23.5 28.5 5.0 pp GDP per inhabitant (PPS, Index Number EU=100)* 69 67 -2.0 pp 104 102 -2.0 pp 100 100 0.0 pp Total employment rate (15-64) (%) 46.7 42.3 -4.4 pp 58.7 55.6 -3.1 pp 65.2 64 -1.2 pp Male employment rate (15-64) (%) 63.7 55.4 -8.3 pp 70.7 64.8 -5.9 pp 72.3 69.3 -3.0 pp Female employment rate (15-64) (%) 30.0 29.5 -0.5 pp 46.6 46.5 -0.1 pp 58.1 58.7 0.6 pp Number employed (15-64) (million) 1.3 1.1 -9.5% 23 22 -3.4% 217 211 -2.6% Number of male employed (15-64) (million) 0.9 0.7 -13.3% 13.5 12.6 -6.9% 120.0 114.1 -4.9% Number of female employed (15-64) (million) 0.4 0.4 -1.6% 9.0 9.2 1.9% 96.9 97.3 0.4% Total unemployment rate (15 and over) (%) 11.2 19.8 8.6 pp 6.1 12.2 6.1 pp 7.2 10.8 3.6 pp Male unemployment rate (15 and over) (%) 9.0 17.8 8.8 pp 4.9 11.5 6.6 pp 6.6 10.8 4.2 pp Female unemployment rate (15 and over) (%) 15.5 23.3 7.8 pp 7.9 13.1 5.2 pp 7.9 10.9 3.0 pp People at risk of poverty or social exclusion (%) 41.0 43.3 2.3 pp 26.0 28.4 2.4 pp 24.4 24.5 0.1 pp NEET rate 15-24 (%) 23.5 28.2 4.7 pp 16.1 22.2 6.1 pp 10.9 13.0 2.1 pp - male (%) 22.3 30.2 7.9 pp 15.2 22.8 7.6 pp 9.8 12.8 3.0 pp - female (%) 24.7 26.1 1.4 pp 17.2 21.4 4.2 pp 12.2 13.2 1.0 pp Source: Eurostat (Regional Statistics). *2011 instead of 2013. Note: Variations (∆ 2007-2013) are expressed in percentage variation between two years (%) when figures are expressed in values (as for total population), and in pp (percentage points) when they are referred to indicators already expressed in % (i.e. total employment rate).
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Table A2.2A. A general overview of the tourism sector
Puglia Italy EU ∆ ∆ ∆ 2007- 2007- 2007- 2007 2013 2013 2007 2013 2013 2007 2013 2013 (% or (% or (% or pp ) pp ) pp) The share of tourism in regional economy (measured in terms of GDP) (%)* 3.40 8.3 4.9 pp 4.2 4.2 0.0 pp 3.2 3.2 0.0 pp Workers employed in the sector of tourism (%)** 4.3 5.6 1.3 pp 5 5.6 0.6 pp 4.2 4.5 0.3 pp Workers employed in the sector of tourism (number) ** 55,424 63,892 15.3% 1,179,431 1,243,241 5.4% 9,374,510 9,699,973 3.5% Business Local Units in tourism (Incidence on the total local Units) -0.1 (%)*** 7.6 8.3 0.7 pp 7.9 8.4 0.5 pp 8.5 8.4 pp Business Local Units in tourism (Number) *** 19,646 18,418 -6.3% 350,143 323,804 -7.5% 1,896,297 1,889,562 -0.4% Arrivals at tourist accommodation establishments (total) (million) 2.7 3.2 18.3% 96.2 103.9 8.0% 751.3 876.9 16.7%
Total arrivals at tourist accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants 668 787 17.8% 1,651 1,740 5.4% 1,507 1,729 14.7% Arrivals at tourist accommodation establishments (residents) (million) 2.3 2.6 13.3% 53.3 53.6 0.6% 493.6 553.6 12.2% Arrivals at tourist accommodation establishments (non-residents) (million) 0.4 0.6 45.6% 42.9 50.3 17.2% 257.7 323.2 25.4% Share of non-resident arrivals in tourist accommodations (%) 15.5 19.1 3.6 pp 44.6 48.4 3.8 pp 34.3 36.9 2.6 pp Nights spent at tourist accommodation establishments (total) (million) 11.5 13.4 16.4% 376.6 376.8 0.04% 2,352.0 2,641.5 12.3% Total nights spent by residents + non residents (total) per 1,000 inhabitants 2,821 3,298 16.9% 6,370 6,313 -0.9% 4,707 5,208 10.6% Nights spent at tourist accommodation establishments (residents) (million) 9.9 10.9 10.4% 213.2 192.0 -9.94% 1,344.2 1,449.9 7.9% Nights spent at tourist accommodation establishments (non-residents) (million) 1.6 2.4 52.8% 163.5 184.8 13.0% 1,007.8 1,192.1 18.3% Share of non-residents nights spent in tourist accommodations (%) 13.9 18.3 4.4 pp 43.4 49 5.6 pp 42.8 45.1 2.3 pp Total nights spent by residents + non residents (total) per km2 593 684 15.3% 1,250 1,247 -0.2% 517 580 12.2% Number of bed-places in hotels and similar establishments (million) 0.2 0.2 18.1% 4.5 4.7 5.4% 28.1 30.3 8.0% -0.7 Net occupancy rate of bed places**** 33.3 33.8 0.5 pp 40.9 40.5 -0.4 pp 42 41.3 pp
Number of establishments 2,872 5,025 75.0% 131,049 157,521 20.2% 424,661 561,988 32.3% Source: Eurostat (Regional Statistics) * IPRES - Istituto pugliese di Ricerche Economiche e Sociali. For IT and EU-28: Gross value added (at base year prices), % on the All NACE Activities of I- Accommodation and food service activities, and N79 - Travel agency, tour operator reservation services and related activities ** 2008 instead of 2007 *** 2008 instead of 2007, 2012 instead of 2013; For tourism we have considered I- Accommodation and food service activities, N79 - Travel agency, tour operator reservation service and related activities; **** 2012 instead of 2007 Note: Variations (∆ 2007-2013) are expressed in percentage variation between two years (%) when figures are expressed in values (as for total population), and in pp (percentage points) when they are referred to indicators already expressed in % (i.e. total employment rate).
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Table A2.2B. A general overview of the culture sector
Puglia Italy EU ∆ ∆ 2007- 2007- ∆ 2007- 2007 2013 2013 2007 2013 2013 2007 2013 2013 (% (% or (% or or pp) pp) pp) The share of culture in regional economy (measured in terms of GDP) (%)* n.a. n.a. n.a. 2.0 2.1 0.1 pp 2.6 2.6 0.0 pp Workers employed in the sector of culture (%)** 0.9 1 0.1 pp 1.5 1.7 0.2 pp 2.3 2.3 0.0 pp Number of workers employed in the sector of culture** 11,882 11,024 -7.2% 357,553 381,001 6.6% 5,038,695 5,029,484 -0.2% Business Local Units in culture (Incidence on the total local -0.1 units) (%)*** 1.8 1.7 0.1 pp 1.7 1.6 pp 2.0 2.0 -0.1 pp Number of business Local Units in - - culture*** 4,567 3,868 15.3% 76,672 61,845 19.3% 453942 460542 1.5% Source: Eurostat, Regional Statistics. * For Italy and EU-28: Gross value added (at basic prices), % on the All NACE Activities of 59 — Motion picture, video and television programme production, sound recording and music publishing activities; 60 — Programming and broadcasting activities; 90 – Creative, arts and entertainment activities; 91 – Libraries, archives, museum and other cultural activities; 93 - Sports activities and amusement and recreation activities ** 2008 instead of 2007. *** 2008 instead of 2007, 2012 instead of 2013 for culture; For culture we have considered J58 - Publishing activities; J59 - Motion picture, video and television programme production, sound recording and music publishing activities; J60 - Programming and broadcasting activities; G476 - Retail sale of cultural and recreation goods in specialised stores Note: Variations (∆ 2007-2013) are expressed in percentage variation between two years (%) when figures are expressed in values (as for total population), and in pp (percentage points) when they are referred to indicators already expressed in % (i.e. total employment rate)
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