The passion for hiking and experiential tourism has become a job. A dream that came true despite the Covid emergency and the lockouts imposed by health protocols.
The challenge of Francesca Mocco, 41, graduated in political science with a political-social address and passionate about hiking, canyoning, caving and climbing and Loredana Lai, 50, degree in languages, other professional experiences behind and climbing is a challenge already half won. currently member of the Alpine Rescue. Having obtained the patent of environmental guides, they filed the Janas Excursions brand and started their business by taking tourists and hikers around along the paths between countryside and abandoned mining areas. Operating base in Gonnesa, in the Sulcis Iglesiente, despite the emergency dictated by the pandemic, they have decided to carry on their project in which the peculiarities of the territory, but also the history and food and wine are combined with experiential tourism in a path that puts together environment and mining archeology, tales of old miners and breathtaking views. In the last two months the experience, lived in first person, to be passed on to future hikers. For 40 days they walked, and then told in a logbook between social media and blogs, along the mining route of Santa Barbara: 500 kilometers between mining villages, paths and ridges overlooking the sea. A field test passed despite the stop and the forced stop imposed by the classification of Sardinia as a red zone.
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A project created to “make known a territory rich in history linked to the mining past but also courageous entrepreneurial experiences linked to hospitality, catering and agriculture that focus on local peculiarities”. A challenge that comes after different experiences, as Francesca and Loredana say, but that needs continuous preparation: “The excursion tourism sector is certainly growing – say the two guides – and it is perceived by the strong demand that is almost daily” . An example? “Since we activated the travel diary we have received requests from all parts of Italy and also from abroad from those who would like to have this experience or from those who ask for advice”.
Completed 500 kilometers of the Way, now there are the initiatives of the summer. “Short appointments because the temperatures are high – they continue -, there will be excursions at sunset and we will redo the route of the sorting machines (the path of the women who worked on the sorting of the mineral in the mining sites) then slowly there will be the other appointments”. Many of which can then be tailor-made by the hiker. In the package that the two guides also offer the possibility of learning a language with conversation lessons in a foreign language.