Pompeii, tourist guide dispute: MP Caramiello: "A roundtable discussion is needed, and we need quick responses."

After a two-hour meeting with Director Zuchtriegel, a multi-party dialogue was initiated to resolve the critical issues related to the work of over 2500 professionals. A working group was established involving the Municipality, the Region, and the trade associations.

Pompeii – The tour guides' protest at the Pompeii excavations has found a channel for institutional dialogue. The president of the Sviluppo Sud parliamentary intergroup, Carmine Caramiello, has taken up the workers' concerns and met with Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Archaeological Park, to discuss the recent difficulties faced by tour guides.

The meeting and requests: positions, tickets and access

At the center of the meeting was the decision to remove the permanent presence of guides within the archaeological area. This decision, according to Caramiello, risks compromising the work of over 2500 workers from Campania.

During the meeting, which lasted approximately two hours, specific requests were made to protect the category:

the restoration of the stations dedicated to qualified tourist guides;
the installation of a gazebo with an information desk;
the activation of a “skip the line” priority ticket office reserved for guides;
the guarantee of direct access to the excavations through presentation of the professional card.
Political mobilization and the round table

The meeting with the Park management laid the foundation for a broader discussion. A consultation table has been established that will extend the discussion to all stakeholders: the guide associations, trade union representatives, the Municipality of Pompeii, and the Campania Region's Tourism Councilor, Enzo Maraio, who has already expressed his willingness to address the issue collaboratively.

At the same time, Caramiello met with approximately one hundred tour guides in Pompeii, along with some of their representatives, to assess the situation with maximum transparency and gather further feedback. Senator Felicia Gaudiano was also present at the meeting and agreed to submit a question to the Senate, echoing the one Caramiello himself had already submitted to the Chamber of Deputies.

The appeal: "Time is the crucial factor"

Despite the ongoing dialogue, the parliamentarian emphasized the urgency of not limiting himself to words. "Regardless of any declarations, the 'time factor' is essential," Caramiello stated, "because every passing second is crucial." He hopes that "common sense will ultimately prevail" and that, through a participatory approach, a solution agreed upon by all stakeholders can be reached, fully respecting the law and safeguarding jobs. "I will work tirelessly," he concluded, "so that within a few days we can have rapid and concrete answers."

Luciano Catotenuto