FOOD AND TOURISM: THE ITALIAN CHALLENGE

The increasing integration of the world economy and the consequent increase of international trade represents an "inescapable opportunity". An opportunity for all the peoples of the earth, who will benefit from the increase in productivity and wealth that the productive specialization will bring. A big opportunity especially for those countries that will recognize and fully exploit the terms of their "comparative advantage".

No doubt that among the few economic sectors for which Italy can find real and significant elements of comparative advantage, there are the “high quality food products” and the tourism industries. It is a consideration so obvious that any argument in support would simply sound redundant. Less obvious is the fact that this advantage can be maintained indefinitely and, much less obvious is that the enormous potential of this advantage is fully exploited.

Myriad of institutions and initiatives operate to support Italian food and tourism industries: and many of them are certainly meritorious and effective. But that can be sufficient in a "normal regime". That can meet the needs of a country where food production and tourism only are and will be two "normally very important" industries. If we believe that the food production and tourism might constitute the distinctive quality of the competitive profile of Italy in the new millennium, we certainly must do better.

We must think big and find the courage to implement real innovative solutions.