Tourism is growing at a destination famous for its lakes. A new foundation set up to unify governance and work alongside the area’s manufacturing economy
The figures show constant growth: after 2024’s 2,700,000 overnight stays, the first data for 2025 shows an increase of 10.3%. Tourism is a new socio-economic growth factor in this Land of Lakes, alongside its traditional manufacturing. We’re talking about this with Mauro Vitiello, president of the Varese Chamber of Commerce and the Varese Welcome Foundation set up in 2025, now being formalised with the entry of the area’s public bodies. ‘The figures are indicative of the interest being shown in our destination and highlight the need to draw up a shared stakeholder strategy with which to manage the area’s tourism in a way which no single body would be capable of. This is the challenge that we have set ourselves and that many have taken up.’ Set up on the initiative of the Varese Chamber of Commerce, the Foundation’s goal is to increase the area’s tourist fame.
‘The blue of the lakes is set into the green of our Alpine foothill valleys and town parks here. Our environmental assets are accompanied by a surprisingly rich culture and art heritage which needs promoting. Varese Welcome is thus working in multiple strategic directions, organising communication and marketing campaigns, educational projects and FAM press trips and taking part in trade fairs, workshops and training.’ Summer initiatives, in particular, have included direct lake connections between Laveno Mombello and Eremo di Santa Caterina del Sasso, one of Lake Maggiore’s gems, also accessible from the various Lombard cities with an integrated train-boat ticket. ‘This is just the beginning. With the finalising of the Foundation we will set out tourism development visions and strategic directions from the starting point of a masterplan’, concludes Vitiello.
