‘Ospitalità Diffusa’ – not to be confused with ‘Albergo Diffuso’ – is a model of hospitality that is gaining ground in the tourism market. It is not simply a collection of accommodation providers, but a genuine network of businesses that also offers a range of tourism services in addition to those provided by hotels and other accommodation facilities.
It is therefore a form of organisation, management, promotion and marketing of a tourism offering provided by a network of businesses (not limited to accommodation providers) within a specific context.
Diffused hospitality meets the needs of a discerning and experienced tourist clientele: people who love to travel, who have stayed in various types of accommodation and locations, and who are looking for innovative options that, at the same time, reflect the character of the place as closely as possible.
In general, ‘diffused hospitality’ also serves to ‘revitalise’ small towns or disadvantaged areas from a social, cultural and economic perspective.
This represents a genuine opportunity for the development of Apecchio and its hamlets, aimed at revitalising the villages through new forms of tourist accommodation: a prospect that has been discussed for some time but which, in the current context, may present concrete opportunities for realisation.
The initiative aims to support the development of a high-quality accommodation network – a community dedicated to hospitality – capable of stimulating ideas and proposals that can offer those who choose our village not only as a holiday destination but also as a place to work, unique experiences that will leave a lasting impression during their stay. Thanks to the National Strategy for Inland Areas, our village has been fully connected to the fibre-optic network and guarantees extremely high connection speeds.
Not only that: the project involves setting up a network to facilitate the renovation of homes, particularly second homes, as well as enabling private flats to be let for tourist accommodation (even without registering for VAT, as regulated by the Marche Regional Tourism Act) and, to this end, will provide all the relevant, appropriately integrated information, in anticipation of the publication of calls for proposals dedicated to this type of project, thereby promoting awareness of and access to funding opportunities.
The popularity of historic villages as tourist destinations has grown significantly, and the tourism sector has highlighted features such as the widespread presence of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, the beauty of the landscape, and the lifestyle and pace of life (the so-called ‘slow living’).
Compared to those typical of mass tourism, destinations such as ours are, by their very nature and vocation, places offering unique and bespoke experiences: in the Marche region, historic villages form a central part of the regional tourism model.
In this context, the area of Apecchio and its hamlets can serve as a focal point for business initiatives, which can be realised even with modest investment, in the hope that widespread participation will have a multiplier effect, generate a structured tourism offering and benefit the entire local economy.
You can submit an application straight away to the SUAP (Municipality of Apecchio; the procedure is online) to set up a tourist accommodation business in the forms provided for by Regional Law 9 of 2006, such as guesthouses, holiday homes, B&Bs, etc.
