Towards administrative simplification
On 22 April 2013 a referendum was held on the unification of the island of Elba into a single municipality. 75% of the islanders voted against. Despite the clear and incisive opposition of public opinion, the Italian government is currently carrying out a series of reforms aimed at administrative simplification. A necessary step for the island of Elba? Speaking with one voice is a real challenge, not only for Elba but also for many Italian municipalities. But this subdivision of the country and the accumulation of territorial actors, especially for small and sparsely populated municipalities, is costly for the state and taxpayers. The recommended institutional reorganisation would be an island of Elba divided into three communes (East, West and Portoferraio).
The main economic sectors
In the past, the economy of Elba was mainly linked to the primary sector and to the exploitation of iron deposits, already used by the Etruscans.
Mining. Before the arrival of tourism, the mining industry represented the main economic resource of the island. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the production of cast iron amounted to 150,000 tons per year. However, the mining activity was subject to strong fluctuations, fierce competition and brutal variations in the price of raw materials - which did not favor investments in the modernization of the means of excavation and transport of iron. But above all, the miners' protests against the laborious and deadly working conditions increased. The closure of the mines began in 1949, in a context of economic and tourist boom. The last mine, the Galleria del Ginevro, was closed in 1981, and the mining industry in Elba
is now being rehabilitated and the viticulture, which once occupied a large part of the territory, is being revived.Agriculture, viticulture, fishing. The island's agriculture is characterized by small (or even very small) structures of 10 to 15 hectares, compared to an average of 50 to 70 in Tuscany. Agriculture and livestock breeding are in full revival thanks to the emergence of organic farming (cereal production in particular) and poultry farms (goat and cattle breeding). In fact, because of its agrarian vocation, the island of Elba is reviving the necessary logic of developing its agricultural capacities. This primary sector remains one of the most important opportunities to create employment and wealth. Wine-growing is the primary resource of Elba's agriculture; the vineyards occupy 350 hectares (150 of which have been distinguished as DOC and DOCG) and the production today amounts to approximately 400,000 bottles. A look back at this resource and pride of Elba. At the end of the 19th century, the island of Elba was sailing in troubled waters. One of the territory's most important economic resources, wine production, was going through an unprecedented crisis due to phylloxera, which destroyed the vines in 1888, causing a large emigration of the population. In one decade, more than 4,000 Elbois left to try their luck abroad. From the western side of the island, the migratory flows were mainly directed towards Latin America, while Australia attracted many young people from the east coast, even for the most difficult work. However, the vineyard resumed after the phylloxera crisis and in the 1930s Elba became the third largest grape producing area in Tuscany, after Chianti and Montalcino. Fishing, finally, still plays an important role in the island's economy, employing about a hundred crewmen. Many of them have started to transform the fish caught into gastronomic products, such as the Antonietta fish shop in Capoliveri (jars of tuna and bonito in olive oil; octopus in sauce) or the Acli Pesca cooperative (sauces for pasta and bonito in vegetable oil).
Shipbuilding. In recent years, the shipbuilding sector has been strengthened, stimulated by the increased interest in nautical tourism and the desire to make the island a major port in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Handicrafts. More and more craftsmen are working with the stones and minerals of Elba, thus giving a dynamic development. Craftsmanship and arts and crafts are indeed a source of employment in the territory. The creation of crafts also includes goldsmithing, perfumery, watches, weaving...
Place du tourisme
In recent decades, the number of tourists has grown considerably, encouraging Elba, which has not finished displaying its assets, to bet on tourism, despite increased global competition that makes the markets more and more aggressive. Tourism plays an important role in the economy of the Tuscan archipelago: the weight of tourism consumption is eminent in the GDP of Elba. However, we must consider the social characteristics of jobs related to tourism and the high seasonality. The result is a high unemployment rate during the year but practically none during the high season. Tourism is considered the engine of development of Elba, capable of boosting its economic growth and creating employment
The island must continue to develop its tourism potential and strengthen its attractiveness. Four issues have been identified as priorities by the competent authorities: firstly, a tourism promotion aimed at highlighting the island's gastronomic assets. Secondly, a common strategy between the three sides of the island in order to better communicate on the richness of the territory. Also, to ensure an offer that meets the expectations of an increasingly demanding tourism. Finally, to respond to the problems of insularity by multiplying the networks of services. These objectives aim to better meet the tourism challenges of today and tomorrow. But the "all to tourism" is far from being a panacea. The coronavirus crisis was there to remind us. The economic perspective of the island of Elba cannot be limited to the only tourist development.
