The Caserta area is locateci between Rome and Naples and is well integrated in Italy's economic fabric because of its many lines of communication, all within easy reach, making it the "Gateway to Southern Italy". Over recent years, the Province has known a considerable economic development and, most particularly, has started opening up towards foreign markets: between 1999 and 2000, exports have risen 22%.

Although growth rates may not be uniform, industrialization rhythms are fast approaching the national average. Added value in agriculture has reached 9.3%, against 5.6% for Southern Italy and 3.3% for the country as a whole; in industry, it amounts to 24.5%, compared with 20.3% for the South in general. These figures confirm that traditional activities in the agro-food sector are gradually being flanked by industrial and tertiary activities run by large-, medium and small-sized enterprises.

Contrary to trends in the rest of Italy, the Province of Caserta has a high birth rate (12.0% compared with 9.3% for Italy): its population is young and boasts a high level of schooling.

Investing in agro-food sector

Since the Middle Ages, the Province of Caserta has concentrated on crops and livestock and is Italy's leading area for the production of Mozzarella from buffalo milk, a typical product enjoyed throughout the world and awarded DOC (Controlled Denomination of Origin) and DOP (Protected Denomination of Origin) labelling since 1993. The area is home to 8o% of the country's buffalo herds. Other important sectors of production are alimentary pastes, mineral water, wine and oil. In this economic dimension, large national corporations are integrated with small local producers.

The Province also produces large amounts of tobacco, accounting for 6o% of national output of the prized Burley variety.

Access to the sector is possible by making investments in technological innovation and corporate services: from marketing to promotion, from e-commerce to assistance with product exports.

Investing in tourism

Caserta, where the Bourbons commissioned Vanvitelli to design their palace, "La Reggia", is a Province of great historical and cultural importance. It attracts tourists from ltaly and abroad with its 42 km of coastline and vast expanses of the Matese area. The Province offers interesting investment opportunities in the sector, notably projects to promote new tour routes with expert guides, information and assistance services for tourists, reception and entertainment facilities.

Investing in industry

The Province of Caserta boasts a number of industrial areas and production poles of excellence: high-tech (Marcianise - Maddaloni), textiles (S. Leucio), footwear (Aversa), and jewelry (Marcianise).

AR the large-, medium- and small-sized enterprises involved have one feature in common: a strong vocation for international contacts.

Opportunities for investment can be found in the promotion of services for technological innovation and internationalisation. Other possibilities include promoting the establishment of new enterprises to strengthen or expand the textile and footwear production chains.

Caserta: Into Foreign Markets

territorial marketing

Enhancing the area means first boosting the existing economic, social and cultural activities; above all, it also means creating new investment opportunities. This is the aim of Territorial Marketing, a tool designed to identify resources present, pinpoint those with the greatest potential for development, qualify the area's aggregate supply to Poster and promote new economic activities

strenghts

• A network of fast and efficient links.
• Constantly developing poles: textiles and footwear, electronics and telephone systems.
• A long tradition of high-quality agro-food products.
• A strong bias towards self-entrepreneurship and a constant rise in the number of enterprises.
• Young human resources with a high level of schooling.
• A cultural and historical heritage of national and international interest.
• Development policies hinged on heavy investment subsidies since the Province  is an "Objective 1" area of the Struttura! Funds for 2000/2006.

economic context

Per capita GDP (1999) Euro 9.051
Working companies (2000) 62.270
Rate of company growth (1997/2000) + 6,55%
Increase in exports (1999/2000) + 22%
Value of exports (2000) Euro 1,156 mil
Propensity to export (1999) 11,9

The data and information contained herein have been taken from the Territorial Marketing Project drawn yp by the Valet Group (Medicamere scrl - Co-ordination; Istituto G.Tagliacarne; Mondimpresa Scpa)