Franco Arminio on cultural tourism and the energy of places

Franco Arminio, poet, writer, and paesologo from Bisaccia in Irpinia, discusses cultural tourism as a political and relational practice. Since 1981, a year after the earthquake that devastated Irpinia, he has fought against depopulation of Italy's inner areas. His 2003 book "Viaggio nel cratere" introduced paesology as a form of attention to small towns. In 2011, he founded the festival "La Luna e i Calanchi" in Aliano, on the road to Matera, a landscape described by Carlo Levi. The festival, held every August, includes shows, performances, dances, walks among the calanchi, and museum visits. Arminio sees it as a collective ritual that now animates Aliano year-round. In 2026, he plans to merge the patron saint feast of San Luigi (June 22) with a paesological approach, gathering artists, musicians, and poets. He criticizes administrations for funding superficial projects like piazzas instead of supporting people's dreams. He advocates for "allenatori" (coaches) who shape local resources, and stresses the need to retain residents, attract returnees, and draw outsiders to break superstitions and generate enthusiasm. He warns against the Instagram-driven consumption of experiences and calls for reorienting the gaze toward authentic encounters.