MILAN, May 14 (Class Editori) - 'Tourist corridors' with China, as well as with Russia and Germany. This is the proposal being studied by the ministries of foreign affairs and culture to relaunch the sector, among the most damaged by the coronavirus epidemic. In fact, tourism and related activities account for about 13% of the national GDP.
“We are developing a summer plan that allows citizens to spend their holidays safely, but which also gives tourists from other states the possibility of arriving, always safely, in Italy to enjoy our wonders and give oxygen to our economy”, reiterated the Minister of Economic Development, Luigi Di Maio.
In the so-called Rilancio [Relaunch] decree, launched by the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, May 13, together with a series of measures to support companies in the sector and incentives for families wishing to spend their holidays in the peninsula, there is also an allocation of 20 million to set up a Fund for the promotion of tourism in Italy.
The latest report by the The Italian Government Tourist Board (ENIT), states a profound decrease in bookings from April 27 to June 7 equal to -88%, still connected to the negative change in China (-98.4%) all the other foreign markets, with the German data right after (-80.7%).
In the weekly monitoring of Italy, at the seventh week of observation on the trend of airport arrivals in 2020, the depth of the losses indicates from January 1 to April 26, an overall figure of 63.4% compared to the same period of 2019. The most evident decreases are those relating to the Chinese market which drops by -77.4% (maximum value) and from the USA (-71.7%), against the lower decrease of -54.5% recorded by Russia.
Having said that, the country continues to have a good sentiment. And it is on this that operators and institutions intend to leverage. Especially during the China-Italy Year of Culture and Tourism, inaugurated a few days before the lockdown announced by the People's Republic to contain the COVID-19. For the 2020, Italy aimed to a further +12% in terms of arrivals and overnight stays. However, last year, there has been a growth in tourist flows from China. According to ISTAT data processed by ENIT, a +16% of airport arrivals with stays from 9 to 13 nights for 2 or 3 people, an increase in line with the increase in travelers, which in 2018 grew by +15.5% compared to 2017.
Now, as highlighted by the Italian ambassador in Beijing, Luca Ferrari, the institutions are working with the Chinese authorities “to postpone by one or two years what was planned, taking into account the evolution that international tourism can have on a cultural basis after the pandemic”.
(Source: Class Editori)
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