Basilicata tourism growth faces criticism over worker conditions

The Basilicata region has achieved several tourism and economic milestones, including winning the award for Italy’s best tourism promotion campaign and seeing significant turnover from local festivals and the DOP economy. However, FILCOM CONFSAL Basilicata has issued a formal complaint regarding the working conditions of the staff driving this growth.

The organization highlights that while the region celebrates these successes, workers in the hospitality and service sectors face long hours, extreme heat, and a lack of regular seasonal contracts or guaranteed rest days. While tourism arrivals and stays grew by 2.9% and 2.7% respectively in the first half of the year, this growth rate remains below the national average. The union is calling for concrete actions to ensure dignified working conditions and proper seasonal labor planning rather than relying solely on communication campaigns.