Apulia: integrated development model for agri-food chains and tourism
Intesa Sanpaolo encourages the integrated development of the agri-food and tourism sectors, of which Apulia is a model and to which it allocates €1 billion of new credit for investments in:
- upgrading hotel and agricultural facilities
- supply chain development
- digitalisation
- energy independence
as part of the “Your future is our business” programme, with which Intesa Sanpaolo is making €120 billion available until 2026 for the growth of Italian SMEs.
"Thanks to the interaction between tourism and agriculture, Apulia expresses a model that can have a positive impact on other territories and foster social and economic development in terms of employment as well. With €1 billion in new credit, Intesa Sanpaolo will encourage business investments geared towards sustainable development, the attraction of demand for goods and services, and new supply chain agreements between interconnected production sectors"
Stefano Barrese, Head of Intesa Sanpaolo's Banca dei Territori Division
It is the connection with the tourism industry that has enabled the agri-food sector of Apulia to seize new business opportunities: for the approximately 190,000 small and medium-sized enterprises in the sector, which employ 148,000 people, turnover growth is estimated to be well above the Italian average, with an increase in exports of 130% in the period 2008-2023.
Intesa Sanpaolo supported this growth by financing regional investments in the agri-food and tourism sectors amounting to almost €2 billion in the period running from 2020 to June 2024.
An analysis by Intesa Sanpaolo's Research Department shows that in Apulia the agri-food sector produced an added value of €4.2 billion in 2021 (+5.4% compared to 2020). In the regional economy, the agri-food sector accounts for 5.9% of the total added value, which is higher than the national average of 4%. In terms of employment, Apulia ranks first in Italy in terms of the number of employees, coming in at 117,000 in agriculture and 31,000 in the food and beverage industry, accounting for 11% of total regional employment. Excellent results have been achieved on international markets in recent years (+130% between 2008 and 2023), with a trend that continued into the first six months of 2024, recording a 15% increase in current values of exports of Apulia's agri-food sector compared to the same six months of 2023: in particular, the oils and fats sector stood out (+62% trend in the first six months of 2024), along with dairy products and cheese (+22%), and meat and cured meats, whose sales abroad tripled (€39 million more than in the same six months of 2023, of which €34 million to Turkey).
The SRM, the study centre linked to Intesa Sanpaolo, reveals several characteristics of the Apulia tourism industry: 2023 was also a positive year in which demand reached 16.8 million presences (+4.4% compared to 2022). In terms of added value, the tourism industry is estimated to be worth €4.8 billion in 2023, 6.3% of the total. As far as 2024 is concerned, it will be a year of new records for the region. Preliminary estimates see an increase of around 2.2% compared to 2023, with almost 17.2 million admissions, above the value recorded in 2019. Then the increase in international tourist presences continued, which, with a 4.1% growth over 2023, accounted for 138.3% of the 2019 figure. The estimated added value of the tourism supply chain would reach €4.9 billion in 2024 (Italy €103.6 billion, South €24.9 billion), with a direct effect on the area's total economy of 6.4%, which would rise to 11.6% if the indirect and induced impact is also taken into account, which is higher than the national figure (10.8%).
Intesa Sanpaolo for Agriculture and Tourism
- To the Agribusiness, Intesa Sanpaolo dedicates a specialised sales network, capable of overseeing the entire production chain, from production to processing: it has more than 1,000 professionals and has supported the sector with disbursements of more than €10 billion, supporting over 170 supply chains. It also dedicates specific products such as Cresci Agri or commodity risk hedging to agribusinesses, as well as solutions for energy efficiency and international growth.
- For tourism, Intesa Sanpaolo has renewed its commitment by providing €10 billion in new credit, of which €3 billion is earmarked for companies in southern Italy. It has also set up specialised desks, as well as dedicated initiatives through specific financial interventions, on its own or in cooperation with prestigious partners. Measures for the sector include S-Loan financing solutions. The bank has also joined the thematic fund for tourism through Equiter and provides operational leasing solutions.
The role of tourism and agribusiness in Apulia's rapid growth process, a prototype for other territories in the country, were the focus of a meeting with local entrepreneurs that took place in Ostuni, in the setting of the Masseria Santa Lucia.
Last updated 7 October 2024 at 18:42:03
