The final chapter of Sicilian Odyssey is an epilogue on modern day Sicily, particularly the city of Palermo, following the defeat of the Sicilian Mafia by Italian law enforcement in the early 21st century. It also summarizes the serious ongoing economic challenges faced by the Sicilian people. Despite significant improvements to living conditions in Sicily during the past 80 years, the island and its residents still remain trapped in an unbroken cycle of unemployment and poverty. The inequitable distribution of wealth and industrial development, between the affluent northern regions and the poorer regions of the South, remain a legacy of the nearly two centuries of Mafia corruption and the discriminatory economic policies by the Italian government. The sizable wealth disparity between northern and southern Italian regions has created a new Sicilian migration trend, as a large segment of its population has been compelled, yet again, to leave the island, seeking employment and better economic prospects in the more affluent northern provinces of Italy and abroad.
The chapter also summarizes the range of attractions and positive conditions, which have made Sicily one of the fastest growing tourist destinations in Italy in recent years. It also discusses the significant ongoing challenges to foreign tourism within Sicily, which has prevented a broader distribution of its economic benefits to a wider segment of the island.
