A VILLAGE THAT IS A HOTEL
Like many people in Britain, Simon Benson enjoys spending his summer vacations in Italy. Last year, however, he did not return to the luxury hotel on the coast that he usually goes to. "While on the internet, I came across an ad for a 'hotel-village'," he said. "I had no idea what that was, but then I saw pictures of a beautiful, remote village in Italy, built 900 years ago. Only twelve families still live there, and rooms in some of the empty houses have been converted into hotel rooms. I was so curious about this place that I decided to try it."(lines 1–6)
The hotel-village – or what the Italians call albergo diffuso – is a unique type of tourist accommodation that was developed for small historical villages in Italy. The hotel rooms are located in several houses on different village streets. The reception area is in a separate building, and so is the restaurant. All those places are within easy walking distance of each other. A group of local residents manages each hotel-village and ensures the high quality of the services. All the food is provided by the villagers. Visitors are also invited to their homes to learn about local traditions.(lines 7–12)
The concept of the hotel-village was invented in the 1980s by tourism expert Giancarlo Dall'Ara. At that time, he was visiting a region in northern Italy that had been hit by an earthquake a few years earlier. The damaged historical homes in the villages had been repaired quickly by the government. However, many of them remained empty, as their inhabitants had moved away to cities. Dall'Ara, who was there to help restore tourism in the area, was impressed by the beauty of those houses, and thought that tourists could stay there. It took him years to turn his idea into detailed plans and to get them approved by the local authorities. Eventually, the first albergo diffuso opened in 2002.(lines 13–20)
Since then, hotel-villages have become increasingly popular in Italy and are now also being set up in villages all over the world. Travel agent Angela Tilly understands their appeal. "Remote communities can enjoy higher income and more contact with the outside world, without the negative impact tourism often has," she says. "No major construction work is needed, and there are never too many visitors for the place to cope with." As for the tourists, they are grateful for the experience. "I got a taste of the local way of life, while enjoying top quality service," says Benson. "I'll certainly recommend it to my friends."(lines 21–27)