Tourism Has a Responsibility in Preserving Worldwide Monuments and Landmarks

Opinion: Rich Thomaselli

As far as the travel world goes, there was little to nothing good that came out of the pandemic in 2020.

Nor, do I suspect, anything good will emerge in 2021 until the effects of the vaccines kick in later this year – if enough people take it. But that’s a different story.

If anything positive came about from the ravages of the virus, it was two-fold. One, the airlines, the cruise lines, Amtrak and hotels all realized how much more cleaning and sanitizing they could be doing. You never realize how dirty your own house is until somebody else comes to clean it. (And as a single dad with two boys ages 20 and 16 living at home while going to school, trust me on that last statement).

The other thing that was a plus was that the world’s great monuments and architectural treasures got a break. Yes, as much as I hate to say it, it was a respite from the constant influx of tourism and in many ways refreshing to see wildlife in Yellowstone National Park venture farther out, or the waters of the canals of Venice turn so clear you could see the fish.

But it also highlighted a growing problem – how do we keep our great natural links to the past before they all crumble and fall?

In a recent column, I wrote out a bucket list of sorts that I wanted to accomplish when the virus disappears and we all feel good about traveling again without restrictions. One of the things I wrote was that I wanted to tour the Colosseum in Rome before it falls down.

It wasn’t hyperbole.

Virtually every great statue, monument and structure is in need of dire repair. That takes money, of course, and the natural place to turn to is the government. But governments around the world are tapped out, especially as long as the coronavirus pandemic continues.

Instead, Italy has a novel plan and before you dismiss it out of hand consider where we are in the world today.

Corporate sponsorship.

It’s everywhere, people. It’s on stadiums and arenas. It’s a part of concert tours. It’s even on the supposedly sacrosanct jerseys of professional sports teams. So why not on landmarks and monuments?

According to Bloomberg News, Italy has been doing this novel approach for years to help finance the restoring and maintaining its plethora of fountains, statues, historic palazzi and ancient archaeological sites. The city’s latest idea is a two-year deal with Confindustria, a national association of thousands of Italian companies, which will facilitate “acts of patronage and sponsorship” toward a list of sites and monuments in need of funds.

Tourism and tourism authorities will have a huge role in this. Tourism authorities will be charged with courting potential sponsors. Tourists might have to chip in as well, but wouldn’t it be worth it? Think about it. It costs $35 for a private, non-commercial vehicle to enter Yellowstone National Park and that’s good for seven days, certainly a fair price. In 2019, it was 15 euros to get into the Louvre in Paris and spend some time with Mona Lisa, certainly a fair price. The Colosseum? Just 12 euros for adults, less than that for citizens of the European Union between the ages of 18 and 25, and free for children under 18 as well as handicapped persons and their assistant.

I am quite certain tourists would pay a modest increase if they knew that, according to Bloomberg, just in Italy alone The Fountain of Neptune in Piazza Navona is in need of $270,000 for its restoration; $83 million to maintain Rome’s vast network of ancient walls; and $238 million for maintenance in the city’s huge public parks, such as the Villa Borghese and the Villa Doria Pamphili.

Pricey, yes. And perhaps people will have reservations about the intrusion of corporate sponsors or the increase in cost.

Now think about how you would feel if one of your lifelong dreams is to see the Colosseum before it crumbles.

I know I have.

(Source: TravelPulse/Rich Thomaselli)