Once upon a time ... l'Italia del turismo

Ieri sera ho ricevuto una e-mail da un anonimo (probabilmente con un indirizzo preso solo per l’occasione) che gentilmente mi accusa di fare “esagerate” critiche sul turismo italiano anche attraverso delle traduzioni in svariati idiomi.

La prima impressione è stata quella di mandarlo (gentilmente) a quel Paese con un semplice “rispondi al mittente”, poi chiaramente, non avendo l’indole del cattivo a tutti i costi, ho preferito cogliere la palla al balzo per ovviare a futuri attentatori al mio fegato con bile annessa.

E mo’ rispondo!

“Tutto sbagliato tutto da rifare” e commentatori non hanno mai fatto nulla di questo, ci mancherebbe d’altro, e quelli che qui l’hanno tentato, sono stati messi cortesemente ma immediatamente alla porta.

Le critiche che hanno ben ragione d’essere e spesso servono a qualcosa, sono sempre state costruttive o almeno ne hanno o ne hanno avuto la pretesa.

E nessunissima traduzione in qualsivoglia lingua effettuata nel blog, ha mai denigrato il nostro Paese (vedere 700 precedenti post), né tantomeno i “professoroni” che sovente vi sono riportati, e che sono stati si, criticati "costruttivamente", ma solo in lingua italiana.

Anzi!

Oltretutto nei miei non certi frequenti inserimenti in blog importanti stranieri, come ad esempio (Huffington Post), ho sempre descritto l’Italia come la nazione turistica migliore del mondo e con l’aggiunta di commenti favorevoli nei confronti di chi in verità non lo merita affatto (vedi "professoroni" detti sopra e qui spesso presenti).

Quindi?

Che stai a dì cortese anonimo/a signore/a?

Anche se presumo d’averne capito l’autore o … l’autora.

Comunque, morta là e non c’è più problema; ognuno ha diritto, nei limiti dell’educazione, d’esporre le proprie critiche o suggerimenti, e non saremo di certo noi a rifiutarli o a farne materia di eventuali conflitti a parole.

Non abbiamo la stoltezza di cadere nel ridicolo come altri hanno fatto su queste pagine o altrove.

Ma come in ogni mio post, ecco la critica costruttiva e vale a dire quello che invero si dice dell’Italia dall’estero e che penso dovrebbe essere sempre “visionato” da qualcuno dell’entourage del ministero del turismo, ma che invero … chissà?

Infatti una semplice ricerca sui siti web dei vari dipartimenti di Stato internazionali in merito ai consigli sui viaggi dei loro cittadini, potrebbe portare a capire il dove si deve migliorare.

E ve lo riporto proprio com’è, nella rispettiva lingua d’appartenenza; trattasi del Travel States Government (a Service of the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the U.S. Dept. Of State) e quindi in inglese.

Politically Motivated Violence: in Italy is most often connected to Italian internal developments or social issues. Italian authorities and foreign diplomatic facilities have found bombs outside public buildings, received bomb threats, and were subjects of letter bombs. Buildings or offices are sometimes the targets of firebombs or Molotov cocktails, although generally at night; such incidents are instigated by organized crime or anarchist movements, and have not targeted or injured U.S. citizens.

Demonstrations: may have an anti-American character, especially in areas hosting U.S. military bases. Even demonstrations intended to be peaceful have the potential to turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence. You should take common sense precautions and follow news reports carefully. Stay up to date by reading the Embassy’s Demonstration Notices.

Italian authorities have made several high-profile arrests involving members or affiliates of transnational terror groups. Like other countries in the Schengen area, Italy’s open borders with its Western European neighbors allow for the possibility of terrorist groups entering/exiting the country with anonymity.

CRIME: Italy has a moderate rate of crime.  You should exercise extra caution at night and at train stations, airports, nightclubs, bars, and outdoor cafes.  If you are drinking heavily, your ability to judge situations and make decisions may be impaired and this can make you a target for crime. Young drinkers are particularly vulnerable to robbery and physical and sexual assault. 

Petty crimes such as pick-pocketing, theft from parked cars, and purse snatching are serious problems, especially in large cities. Pick-pockets sometimes dress like businessmen. You should not be lulled into a false sense of security by believing that well-dressed individuals are not potential pick-pockets or thieves. Most reported thefts occur at crowded tourist sites, on public buses or trains, or at the major railway stations: Rome's Termini; Milan's Centrale; Florence's Santa Maria Novella; and Naples' Centrale and Piazza Garibaldi. You should also be alert to theft in Milan’s Malpensa Airport, particularly at car rental agencies. Clients of Internet cafes in major cities are also targeted. Be careful with your bag or purse, as thieves on motor scooters are very quick and can snatch a purse off of your arm from a moving scooter. Resisting these thieves can be hazardous, as some tourists have suffered broken arms and collarbones.

Thieves in Italy often work in groups or pairs. Pairs of accomplices or groups of children are known to divert tourists' attention so that another can pick-pocket them. In one particular routine, one thief throws trash, waste, or ketchup at the victim; a second thief assists the victim in cleaning up the mess; and the third discreetly takes the victim's belongings. Criminals on crowded public transportation slit the bottoms of purses or bags with a razor blade or sharp knife removing the contents.

Some travelers in Rome, Florence, and Naples have reported incidents where criminals used drugs to assault or rob them.  These incidents have been reported near Rome’s Termini train station, at bars and cafes near Rome’s Colosseum, Colle Oppio, Campo de Fiori, and Piazza Navona, and at bars or cafes in the center of Florence and Naples.  Criminals using this tactic “befriend” you at a train station, restaurant, café, or bar, and then offer you a drink laced with a sleeping drug.  When you fall asleep, criminals steal your valuables and may sexually assault you. Some victims of these assaults in Rome have required hospitalization.

Thieves are also known to have impersonated police officers in order to steal.  The thief shows you a circular plastic sign with the words "police" or “international police" and then in perfect English asks to see your identification and your money.  If this happens to you, you should insist on seeing the officer's identification card (documento), before handing over your wallet as impersonators tend not to carry forged documents. You should immediately report thefts or other crimes to the actual police.

Be alert to the possibility of carjackings and thefts while you are waiting in traffic or stopped at traffic lights. This has been a particular problem in Catania, Sicily.  Use particular caution driving at night on highways, when thieves are more likely to strike. Americans have reported break-ins of their rental cars during stops at highway service areas; thieves smash car windows and steal everything inside. Theft of small items such as radios, luggage, cameras, briefcases, and even cigarettes from parked cars is prevalent. Vehicles parked near beaches during the summer can be broken into and robbed of valuables. Lock car doors whenever you park, and do not leave packages in your car in plain view.

The U.S. Secret Service in Rome is assisting Italian Law Enforcement authorities in investigating an increase in the appearance of ATM skimming devices. These devices are attached to legitimate bank ATMs, usually located in tourist areas, and capture the account information stored electronically on the card’s magnetic strip. The devices consist of a card reader installed over the legitimate reader and a pin-hole video camera mounted above the keypad that records the customer’s PIN. ATMs with skimming devices installed may also allow normal transactions to occur. The victim’s information is sold, traded on-line, or encoded on another card such as a hotel key card to access the compromised account. Here are some helpful hints to protect against and identify skimming devices:

1) Use ATMs located in well-lighted public areas, or secured inside a bank/business
2) Cover the keypad with one hand as you enter your PIN
3) Look for gaps, tampered appearance, or other irregularities between the metal faceplate of the ATM and the card reader
4) Avoid card readers that are not flush with the face of the ATM
5) Closely monitor your account statements for unauthorized transactions

Organized criminal groups operate throughout Italy, but are more prevalent in the south. They occasionally resort to violence to intimidate or to settle disputes. Though the activities of such groups are not generally targeted at tourists, visitors should be aware that innocent bystanders could be injured.

Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available.  Not only are the bootlegs illegal to bring back into the United States, if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law. 

According to Italian Law (Law 80 of May 14, 2005), anyone caught buying counterfeit goods (for example, DVDs, CDs, watches, purses, bags, belts, sunglasses, etc.) is subject to a fine of no less than EUR 1,000. Police in major Italian cities enforce this law to varying degrees. You are advised to purchase products only from stores and other licensed retailers to avoid unknowingly buying counterfeit and illegal merchandise.

Cosa dici caro/a anonimo/a, ci si può fare qualcosa (?), e se s’è invero già fatto (ma non credo), si può convincere ‘sti Signori americani a cambiare la loro opinione e magari scrivere tutt’altro?

P.S.: Io (in silenzio) l'ho fatto e tu cosa fai per il turismo italiano?