Following the Games, Cortina is focusing on its legacy of wellbeing
The fourth edition of Cortina in Wellness is taking place until 29 August: over 100 free events dedicated to wellness, sport and healthy lifestyles
The legacy of the Olympic and Paralympic Games is not limited to sports venues, infrastructure and tourist numbers. There is a less tangible but potentially more enduring legacy: one linked to quality of life, health and wellbeing. It is in this area that Cortina d’Ampezzo intends to play one of its most important games in the post-Milan-Cortina 2026 era.
From 27 to 29 August, ‘Cortina in Wellness’ takes place – an event organised by the Wellness Foundation, founded by Nerio Alessandri, now in its fourth year and designed to engage residents and tourists in over a hundred free events dedicated to sport, physical activity and healthy lifestyles. This event represents only the most visible part of a more ambitious project: to transform the ‘Queen of the Dolomites’ into an international wellness destination, capable of attracting visitors all year round and of integrating its tourism offering with services dedicated to health and active ageing.
This challenge is set against a favourable backdrop. Internationally, wellness, preventative healthcare and so-called ‘healthy ageing’ are establishing themselves as one of the key trends in the global economy, creating new opportunities for regions that succeed in combining nature, sport, sustainability and high-quality services. In this context, Cortina can count on an asset that is difficult to replicate: the environmental heritage of the Dolomites, combined with its international renown, which has been further enhanced by the return of the Olympic Games.
The idea behind the project stems from the vision of Nerio Alessandri, chairman and founder of the Wellness Foundation and Technogym, who sees the Ampezzo area as the ideal location for trialling a new model of regional development.
“Wellness, health and healthy longevity are emerging as global macro-trends. Cortina has a unique opportunity to capitalise on these trends and become a leading destination for wellness and quality of life,” emphasises Alessandri. “ “Together with all public and private stakeholders, we can leave a post-Olympic legacy that enhances the local area through an offering capable of combining sport, health, tourism and quality of life,” he added.”
