The hosting website airbnb has launched a competition that will offer up to a year of free accommodation in a picturesque village in southern Italy.
The winner's fate will be Sambuca di Sicilia, already voted the most beautiful town in the country in 2016 and which gained international notoriety in 2018, by offering dozens of houses for sale for the symbolic value of one euro.
In total, the city hall sold 143 properties to families from 38 countries around the world, transforming a village of less than 6 inhabitants into a cosmopolitan center.
One of these abandoned houses was purchased by Airbnb and renovated with a design that follows the demands of contemporary living, but without forgetting the traditional sicilian architecture.
Now the portal is looking for a “person who loves adventure and hospitality” and wants to live in the property for a year, becoming a host on the platform and seeing the process of Sambuca's rebirth up close.
Applicants must be over 18 years old, available to transfer to Sambuca from June 30, 2022, and be able to speak colloquial English.
However, applications will only be accepted from the following countries: South Africa, Germany, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Spain, United States, Philippines, France, Hong Kong, Japan, India, Ireland , Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, New Zealand, Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand and Taiwan.
In the first month of their stay, the winner will participate in a mentoring program consisting of an Italian course and cooking classes.
The chosen one will be able to bring a friend or family with them, respecting the limit of two adults and two children, and will have to live in the house for at least three months and rent a room for users of the airbnb for at least nine months.
The stay will be free, and the revenue obtained from renting on Airbnb will go to the host. In addition, the package also includes airfare and transfer from the airport to the property, but the chosen party will have to pay maintenance costs during their stay.
“The beauty of this initiative is that it offers a new lease of life not only to a long-abandoned house in the heart of our village, but also to the person moving in,” said the mayor of Sambuca, Leo Ciaccio.
“We are looking for someone who wants to immerse themselves in the local context and experience all the important moments of our community,” he added. According to the city hall, the city has already received 25 million euros in direct and indirect investments due to the sale of houses at symbolic prices.
The compensation demanded by Sambuca was that these properties be renovated to revitalize the architectural heritage of its historic center. (Handle)
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