KINO ITALY PROMOTES REMOTE WORKING IN OFF-THE-BEATEN PATH DESTINATIONS across the country

Derives from the word KINESIS, movement in response to a cue.

**KINO Italy Founders: Serena Chironna & Andrea Mammolitti**

After living and working in London, UK for seven years, it took a pandemic, a deep desire to return to her native Italy while doing something beneficial for the country, which ultimately lead to the creation of KINO Italy. Interested in the digital nomad movement as well as revitalizing forgotten villages, mainly in the South, while doing some research on destinations in Puglia, Co-Founder, Serena Chironna met like-minded Co-Founder Andrea Mammolitti online, who was looking at destinations in Tuscany with the same interest. Why settle on just one place when Italy is filled with so many options? And the pop-up digital nomad experience was born. “We started KINO Italy with the mission to make remote work in Italy possible, starting from destinations outside of the traditional tourist routes as there lies the biggest opportunity for impact,” says Chironna. However, she points out, not all “remote” locations are suitable to host a remote work community.

“While some hamlets might look charming on paper (or on Instagram), living and working might be extremely challenging.” Italy has over 5,000 villages with less than 5,000 people. “Scouting the right place is like searching for a needle in a haystack,” she attests. “Our approach has been starting from a region where we had some sort of connection and/or where we knew there were locals interested in projects targeting digital nomads.” The local involvement is paramount for the authenticity factor in this community.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF KINO ITALY

Think pasta-making classes with nonnas, which ends up in a celebratory dancing session amongst the locals and this international group of nomads. The pasta-making session was planned, the dancing was just a happy off-shoot.

The pilot project took place in Tursi, a small town in Basilicata in June 2022. A six-week stay where they hosted an international community of 19 remote workers. Since then, they have increased their offerings to four different destinations: Ostuni, Puglia; Pitigliano, Tuscany; Ortigia, Sicily; and next spring, a first-time pop-up experience will take place in Riccia, Molise.

Interested applicants must commit to one-month stays where they will find suitable accommodation with reliable Wi-Fi as well as access to a Co-working Space and a host of local activities. Chironna says the average age of participants so far are in their 30s although she would like to see all demographics participate. “We think age differences can be a way to be exposed to different perspectives and grow as a community.”

To qualify, Chironna states the obvious prerequisite of having actual work to do, “We will consider applicants who are changing careers or people working on a personal project.” Accommodation options include: studio, private apartment or shared apartment and depending on the location you choose, prices start at 1,200 Euros for the month.

“Being digital nomads ourselves, we have developed a deep know-how of what’s needed to build a successful remote work project with support from local municipalities and businesses,” says Chironna. Whether you have been to Italy yet or not, she advises a pop-up experience with KINO is a great way to get back to your roots and dive into the Italian culture and tradition.

A GLIMPSE AT THE POP-UP DESTINATIONS OFFERED BY KINO ITALY

Ostuni, Puglia: Nestled in the beautiful Itria Valley in the Apulia region, Ostuni is only a 15min drive from pristine Mediterranean waters. During the Summer, thousands of tourists visit the seaside town and its charming whitewashed alleys, but as soon as the peak season ends, the town empties out and many services shut down leaving locals with few job opportunities and services for themselves. For KINO, going to Ostuni is a way to test, through their remote work community, an alternative to mass tourism and extend the very short tourist season.

Pitigliano, Tuscany: A charming town in a relatively undiscovered region of Tuscany called Maremma. To get there, you have to venture further down from Florence (or up from Rome). Pitigliano holds a phenomenal history with its past founded on the ancient Etruscan civilisation. Its historic centre suffers from depopulation trends, and offers the opportunity to slow down, explore the history of the area and enjoy the excellent wine that Tuscany is renown for

Ortigia, Sicily: Ortigia is a small island of less than 4,000 inhabitants. It is the most ancient part of the city of Siracusa. Linked to the city by 2 bridges, you have the feeling of a small ‘borgo’ full of history but with a bigger city at its doorstep. Here a slower travel and work experience outside of the peak season is possible. Ortigia in winter is a fantastic remote work base for the KINO community, with countless opportunities to enjoy the amazing culture, history and landscapes that Sicily has to offer

Riccia, Molise: Riccia is the ultimate remote village in a very unknown region of Italy: Molise. Here the local municipality is looking at KINO’s project as an exciting way to showcase their undiscovered beauty, while promoting a different type of travel, based on a slower pace and a deeper focus on the local history and traditions.