A village which actively seeks to promote the past, present and future
The village stands on two small islands, Giglio and Giannutri, in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Rich in history, in a unique natural environment, Isola del Giglio is committed to maintaining its identity, avoiding depopulation and identifying policies capable of developing tourism as a driving factor of its economy. With an agricultural and maritime vocation, Isola del Giglio owes its best opportunities to tourism, which it implements through alternative forms of tourism, positioning itself on the market with diversification of tourist products and identifying niche offers for every period of the year. Giglio is always very mindful and sensitive towards maintaining and promoting sustainable development.
Giglio is attentive towards the preservation and enhancement of its past, from which it derives its identity. The village has important cultural resources dating as far back as the Neolithic period. It has initiated a policy of promotion to establish itself as an Etruscan Island, thanks to the numerous artifacts and testimonies. The famous Roman vestiges such as the Castellari area and the villa of the Domitians in Giannutri are highly visited by tourists and Giglio is implementing their knowledge even at universities with study visits. Giglio has a cultural policy that enhances and promotes its cultural resources, for example the festival of the Etruscans and the Mineralogy Museum and is committed to recovering the Rocca Pisana Fortress to make it a usable space for the entire community.
HIGHLIGHTS
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Keeping the sea clean
The cleanliness and preservation of the environment is a top priority for Isola del Giglio. The village has launched a wide campaign for cleaning up the natural land and the marine environment including coasts and seabeds. Every year, from spring to autumn, approximately thirty initiatives are carried out to monitor, register and collect sea waste along the coasts and towards the shores. Local associations and many tourists who participate in the initiatives are committed to protecting the environment.
Isola del Giglio also promotes and disseminates plastic-free policies especially in their tourism initiatives. Tourism operators have almost eliminated the use of plastics in services such as catering, accommodation and bathing establishments. Giglio has portable water stations to limit the use of bottles made of plastic. The collection of plastic waste is ecologically differentiated.
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The spillover effect of tourism
Giglio has set up management committees with various actors engaged in agriculture, fishing, and tourism industries as well as young people, entrepreneurs and associations. The objective is to analyze and develop the best initiatives for tourism, which will also benefit other economic activities such as agriculture and fishing.
The municipal government allocates 10% of its budget to associations present in the area that, through their activities, can improve the economic sustainability of the community.
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Civil Defense emergency management
Giglio adheres to the Tuscany Region Civil Defense Emergency Plan which was last updated in February 2021. The Plan proved crucial on January 12, 2012, during the sinking of the Costa Concordia ship that occurred a few dozen meters from the Giglio coastline.
Thanks to this comprehensive strategy, Giglio residents were able to help the 4,000 passengers who were travelling on the Concordia cruise liner. As a result of their well-executed efforts during the disaster, the Giglio community was awarded the Gold Medal for Civic Valor by the President of the Republic.
