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THE ORANGE BANNER OF TOURING CLUB OF ITALY February 23, 2007 is a day to remember for Montefollonico. It’s the day on which the village officially became one of the 32 Tuscan locations that are certified with the orange banner of the Touring Club of Italy. This important certificate was awarded on the occasion of the “Bit” of Milan (International Tourism Exchange). It is awarded on the basis of four criteria: an harmonious and well-preserved Old Center; a good selection of accommodations and eating-places; urban planning that is well-coordinated and integrated with the architecture; and an easily-accessed and well-marked system of paths. It is not an easy certification to win. The Touring Club uses extremely rigorous parameters in awarding the Orange Banner, so much so that, of 1,366 municipalities, only 119 have received certification. It is, therefore, an extremely serious attestation that rewards the commitment of the many, private businesspeople who work with the Municipal Administration to improve the quality of what the territory has to offer. The pre-eminence of Tuscany, which has 30 percent of the total banners awarded, is testament to the efforts of many small town Administrations, such as Torrita’s, in enhancing the value of the historical, cultural and natural resources of their areas, improving the quality of their hospitality and developing sustainable tourism. The ORANGE BANNER is Touring Club of Italy’s mark of quality for ecological tourism in the hinterlands. It is awarded to places that satisfy the criteria related to development of quality tourism. The appreciation of cultural patrimony, the guardianship of the environment, the culture of hospitality, access to and usability of the resources, and the quality of accommodations, eating places and local products are only some of the key elements that are required in order to obtain the certification. The T.C.I. has always worked to develop quality tourism, and to enhance the resources and the cultural and environmental heritage of Italy. The ORANGE BANNER is one of the ways in which the Touring Club offers a guarantee of quality to tourists and a genuine measure of value to the towns and villages. |
