Inauguration of the General Assembly on Tourism in Pietrarsa

Pietrarsa, 7 April 2016

Today witnessed the inauguration, at Pietrarsa’s Railway Museum, of the General Assembly on Tourism, the largest public consultation on Italian tourism, which will come to an end in July through the approval of the National Strategic Plan.

The event was inaugurated by Minister Dario Franceschini.

The honours were done by the chief executive officer of Gruppo FS Italiane, Renato Mazzoncini.

On his arrival, Mazzoncini stated that “in the second half of the year, FS is going to implement digitization. Our goal is to switch from railway enterprise to mobility company.” Ferrovie dello Stato has “2.200 stations covering the 8 thousand Italian municipalities, an amazing extensiveness.

Our network is, therefore, an essential asset when discussing tourism issues.” In his view, Italy has a “tourist potentiality as yet unexpressed”, and tourists’ train journeys “might be a distinguishing element of the country within an increasingly more competitive world scenario”.

Pietrarsa’s national railway Museum

Under the management of Fondazione FS Italiane, Pietrarsa’s Museum has experienced a fully-fledged revival: 2015 ended with an important rise in visitors, recording the attendance of more than 38 000 visitors, an increase of 92% compared to 2014.

The Museum is the target of an important work of revival and redevelopment by the Foundation, which aims to turn it into a technologically modern cultural and conference hub, without at the same distorting its primary vocation as National Railway Museum.

Pietrarsa is capable of hosting events and shows attended by 4 000 people, of whom 1000 alone inside the large Pavilion of steam locomotives.