Story By: Ana Lacasa, Sub Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency: Newsflash

This beautiful southern Italian town is offering to let tourists to stay in its empty houses for free during the summer season when there will be a jazz and food festival in the town centre.

The initiative named ‘Give Molise’ was created by the ‘Morrutto Friends’ Association in cooperation with the tiny town of San Giovanni, located in the southern Italian region of Molise.

Visitors are being offered the chance to stay for free for one week in one of the houses whose owners have agreed to participate in the scheme.

So far three homes are available for the project, offering 40 one-week packages for tourists who are told they do not have to pay anything.

According to reports, in the first 24 hours of the initiative organisers received calls from all around the world, including Ireland, France, Poland and Ukraine.

Stefano Trotta, the President of the Morrutto Friends Association, said “the initiative will start on 4th July” and added that in the town centre of San Giovanni there are 440 properties and only 12 families living there.

Organisers said “financial contribution is not expected, the guests will not have to worry about anything except discovering the beautiful places in Molise, its history, food and wine”.

The town will host jazz and food festivals in August and organisers have set up a website where potential visitors will have to give their reasons for visiting Molise.

Local media reported that the promotion is only offered for those who do not live in the region or in bordering municipalities. Those applying cannot have a house in the municipality either.

Application form here.

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