Untold Italy · Friday, July 31, 2026
Karina Cook emphasizes that every dollar spent by tourists has a direct impact on the local economy. She advocates for choosing locally-made products and artisanal goods over mass-produced items, and supporting local eateries over tourist traps to ensure money benefits the community.
“I believe that every dollar you spend either has a positive or a negative impact on the place that you're in. So I'm not talking about the country as a whole. I'm talking about this little town that you're standing in right here, right now.”
“So the difference with the sustainability equation and making those two dollars or two euros count is that if you go and you buy that chemical, you know, mass manufactured ice cream product, then those two euros that you're spending aren't landing on the ground in this town that you're in.”
“So again, it's a little thing. And I'll say that to my true people if they want to go and buy something at a kiosk, I'll be like, you know, no, that's made in China. Let's go here into this little shop instead, and you've got stuff that's all locally made.”