I retired to a tiny Italian village and run 25 B&Bs for locals
<p><strong><em><img width="121" height="117" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/22223/wendy_121x117.jpg" alt="Wendy (1)" style="float: left;"/>Wendy Gallina retired to Italy five years ago with her partner Harald to pursue the sweet life of running a bed and breakfast. She soon found herself helping locals set up their homes on Airbnb, and now Sala Comacina, a tiny village of 600 people, has opened up to travellers.</em></strong></p>
<p>It was always our intention to move to Italy for <em>la dolce vita</em> (the sweet life!) after a corporate life, and to try <em>dolce far niente</em> (literally the sweetness of doing nothing!). Ten years ago with this goal in mind we purchased a 300-year old cottage in Sala Comacina on Lake Como. For some five years, we had an agency managing our cottage as we weren’t living in Italy, but then in June 2011 we decided to move here to Sala permanently so we could manage our own property hands-on, and to personally welcome our guests.</p>
<p>Back then in 2011, our house was still the only one in the village available for holidaymakers. Along with <a href="http://www.holidaylakecomo.com/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>our website</strong></span></a> we also started to list on <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/246616/?af=61160407&c=apac_au_over60_Wendy" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Airbnb</strong></span></a>. That was back in October 2011, and the rest is history. Almost overnight the bookings started coming in, and slowly the locals would come around to ask if I could list them on my website. I thought: “If only Airbnb were mine!” With internet, computer or iPad virtually unknown in the village, I was able to help three of the locals list their properties, assist with English, take reservations and coordinate their arrivals. Then next year more people came to me.</p>
<p>Now five years later, I assist about 25 of the locals with getting their houses, apartments, and rooms on Airbnb. I help them set up their property on the website and write the description for them because English really is the language of Airbnb. I’ll also handle any questions and enquiries. People here are working, they have families and they find it difficult to drop something and to respond to questions. But for me, I’m addicted to the beep beep sound on my phone!</p>
<p>It’s not just me, a core group of us who speak English – Robby my Italian neighbour, and two English ladies Geraldine and Janet, who have both lived here for 40 years – all work together to make sure the guests are being looked after and everything runs smoothly. We do the greetings, the check-ins, and we take them around the village and introduce them to the locals who run the bars, restaurants, the coffee shops, the butcher and the baker, so all of our guests feel comfortable chatting to the locals.</p>
<p>It’s very important to us that we create a good environment where guests feel part of the community when they stay in Sala. Within the community there is a real interest in our holiday guests and even the Italians who don’t speak English are fascinated by the Australian and American tourists who have travelled so far to come see their village. They’ll still speak to you anyway as they like to have a laugh with you whether or not you understand each other’s language (but there’s usually someone there to translate!). It is rewarding for locals and tourists alike to enjoy an aperativo together; to share and laugh over stories of holiday adventures and life experiences, and to assist with further travel plans.</p>
<p>Airbnb has, in Sala at least, given many tourists the opportunity to experience local life firsthand. Our guests tell us that they love our wonderful little village. It’s close enough to the attractions, as you can get a ferry to all the other villages, but they love coming back to this side of the lake and have enjoy tranquillity of the village. The tourism has also revitalised Sala for the locals. They love showing guests their home and I think it’s given them a new perspective of Sala. When you’re born in a place you don’t see the beauty in it. But now I think the locals look at their home and Lake Como with another eye. I’m not being biased because I live here, it is a magical lake!</p>
<p>We now get around 20 to 25 groups per week in Sala during peak season which runs from around April to August. As we’re only a small village of around 600 people, we share everything. We all work together to ensure that everyone shares in with the success. There’s no feeling that anyone is really competing, we are all working together to make sure everyone shares in the earnings for the village. We all want to make the village more popular to tourists, to welcome them here and give them a great experience.</p>
<p>I never dreamed I would be doing this – never, ever. But it’s been truly rewarding. For me, I think the most rewarding part is the sharing in the community. It’s important that everyone can make some money, but aside from the monetary value, it’s so rewarding that we’re getting visitors to see this beautiful little spot in the world – and they’re satisfied with their experience. There is no joy in it unless someone can take away a great experience and luckily on both sides, we’re all getting a wonderful experience.</p>
<p>If you’re interested in learning more about hosting on Airbnb, please <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/host/?af=61160407&c=apac_au_over60_host" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">click here</span></strong></a>.</p>
<p><em><strong>If you have a story to share please get in touch at <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="mailto:melody@oversixty.com.au" target="_blank">melody@oversixty.com.au</a>.</span></strong></em></p>
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