Page 249 - Volcano and Geothermal Tourism

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mountain hut at 1930m elevation (Provincial Unlike in most other national parks, a visitor
Road 92; see Figure 15.1). Since the late1950s centre with survey maps, brochures about the park
tourism at Mt Etna has experienced strong growth and its volcano, with some useful environmental
based on the construction of further access roads codes of conduct wasn’t established in the past.
and the building of hotels and lodges, mountain The high visitor demand manifested in historical
huts, restaurants, souvenier shops and other tourist times during the development of NN station, so it
infrastructure concentrated essentially in two immediately evolved into a major mass tourism
areas: Nicolosi Nord (NN) on the south flank and destination, not into a small-scale visitor centre.
Piano Provenzana (PP) on the north-east flank The tourist station at PP is in contrast to the
(see Figure 15.1). Together they concentrate busy volcano-tourism business at the south flank.
almost all visitors. PP is significantly smaller and less known than
NN is also named the Rifugio Sapienza NN. With a green mountain landscape and a quiet
tourist area and is the better known of the two atmosphere it is located amidst a pine forest on
tourist stations on Etna. It is located on the south Etna’s north-east flank, contrasting with the dark
flank at about 1900m, in the northern part of the colours of the recent lava flows and the bustling
territory belonging to the commune of Nicolosi, tourism business on the south flank. A small
next to the Cantoniera mountain hut, along the parking area, some individual tourists, a few
traditional access route from Nicolosi to the overland-buses and rural surroundings show a
summit. The nucleus of NN occupies an area of completely different scene of the same volcano.
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approximately 0.17km , immediately to the west The development of tourist facilities began in the
of the impressive crater row of Monti Silvestri, 1960s after the construction of the access road
formed during an eruption in 1892 (Figure 15.1; Mareneve, which leads from Fornazzo on the east
Behnke and Struck, 2005). It consists of eight flank and Linguaglossa on the north-east flank to
major buildings and various small huts: the Rifugio the isolated Rifugio Citelli (constructed in the
Sapienza (mountain hut), two hotels (Corsaro, 1930s) and to a few mountain huts (the ‘Bruneck’
CAI), restaurants and bars (Cantoniera, Esagonal, and ‘Ragabo’; Figure 15.1; Behnke and Struck,
Terrazza dell’Etna) and the departure station of 2005). The PP tourist station stretches over an area
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the cable car. Some minor buildings include the of 2.5km and lies at 1800m on a broad plain,
Italia ‘90 and La Capannina bars, a shack for adjacent to the Northeast Rift – one of the most
mountain guides, a big cluster of souvenir shops active systems of flank eruptive fissures on Etna
and various parking areas. A further building next (Behnke and Struck, 2005). This unstable sector is
to the Esagonal houses a sporadically staffed post often accompanied by earthquakes and ground
of the Provincial Tourism Agency of Catania fracturing with structural damage like the recorded
(APT) and the hut of a medical guard, staffed in earthquakes in 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1988 (Behnke
high season. Most buildings are open from 9 a.m. and Struck, 2005). In spite of potential hazards,
till 5 p.m.; before and after the station is nearly through frequent seismicity PP grew to a
deserted. Comsumption-orientated visitors to the remarkable tourist complex with two hotels (Le
mountain lack nothing. Hawkers from Africa and Betulle, La Provenzana), a few restaurants, a cluster
south-east Asia sell picture postcards, watches, of souvenir shops and an extensive skiing area
sunglasses, spyglasses. Local mobile traders open with five ski runs. A jeep service (STAR) provided
their booths to sell honey, nuts, pasta, mustard, guided excursions to the summit area. From the
volcanic rocks and ashtrays made from the lava of beginning of tourism business in the late 1950s,
past eruptions. Mobile barbeque grill huts offer however, the PP station was always disadvantaged,
sausages and steaks. With the hundreds of buses less known among foreign visitors and travel
and countless cars, vendors, thousands of tourists agencies. Some years before the completion of PP,
and local visitors the station is completely the NN station was already finished. Tour operators
overcrowded on weekends in season. However, responded to this offer and closed contracts at PP.
tourists who are looking for serious information Furthermore, PP was linked to the Mareneve road
about the volcano are not easily able to find any. across the ‘Ragabo’ pine forest, but bus drivers

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