PRESS RELEASE
Valle di Comino, 2 April 2025 - The April Fool's joke published yesterday on the website Visit Valle di Comino had a completely unexpected success. The article, which announced incentives of up to 70,000 euro for those who moved to the Comino Valley villages most affected by depopulation, was clearly indicated as a joke within the text. However, many only read the headline shared on social media and believed the news was real, so much so that it generated a wave of phone calls to the valley's mayors from people interested in moving.
A first citizen of Valle di Comino contacted me personally to report that he had received dozens of calls from people wanting more information on how to access these alleged incentives. This episode demonstrates two very important things: on the one hand, the need to read the news in full and not stop at the headlines, because it is precisely this habit that encourages the spread of fake news that damages public debate in Italy. On the other, the fact that the interest generated by the joke reveals a real desire on the part of many people already living in Italy and also those living abroad to return to live in our countries.
This should give local administrators pause for thought: if yesterday was just an April fool's joke, tomorrow it could be a reality. The idea of offering incentives for the repopulation of villages is by no means unrealistic (here a recent example) and could be a concrete strategy for revitalising our villages. In addition to aid for buying houses, we should also think about incentives for young people and for those who want to open businesses, so as to make our towns even more attractive.
I thank all those who caught the spirit of the joke and hope that this experience can serve as food for thought for the future of the Comino Valley and its communities.
Giuseppe Massa
Resp. Visit Valle di Comino and Visit Atina