The world and Italy are slowly opening up again

Naples: panorama

Rome [ENA] Italy opens up on 3rd June but Health Minister Roberto Speranza has said the government's decision to allow travel between Italy's regions is not without risk as the coronavirus pandemic is still continuing. Assoturismo-CST, Italy’s national touristic federation, said in 2020 more than 260 million tourist presences will be lost (-60%). Since April the sector had already lost 106,000 jobs, with occupancy dropping by

99% for foreigners and 96% for Italians. Another half a million jobs are at risk if the summer season does not take off. The recovery in ths significant economic sector will be seen only in 2021, perhaps. Over half a century of tourism activity has been canceled and compared to last year’s turnover, the virus lockdown and suspension of touristic activities cost the country 10 billion euros ($10.8 billion), the amount spent by foreigners in Italy from March to May 2019, according to a study by the national statistics agency ISTAT. Italy hopes in a recovery of short-haul arrivals in July and a recovery of arrivals from neighboring countries is expected since they represent 56 percent of international tourism in Italy.

Rome Walls

This recovery is also expected by virtue of a tendential stability of prices charged by the Italian hospitality system which in June even recorded a median value in online sales of 97 euros per room. But in total economic terms, the consumption of Italians and foreigners could result in a loss of 65 billion euros (of which 21 billion from abroad). Tourism represents the fourth largest category of EU exports and produces positive effects for the European economy as a whole: for every euro of added value generated by tourism, an indirect effect on other industries equal to 56 additional cents is obtained. Despite the COVID, Italy is confirmed as the most desired and sought after as an international destination.

Since the beginning of the pandemic there are a total of 711.4 thousand mentions relating to Travel Italy - of which 42.8 thousand appeared on the web and 669.5 thousand on social media - which produced 197.3 million interactions equivalent to an investment equal to 421.3 million euros. The world is slowly opening up again, new research from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) indicates, with destinations watchfully enabling travel restrictions introduced in response to COVID-19. As the United Nations specialized agency releases its Global Guidelines for Reopening Tourism, indicating a transition into gearing up for stronger and better recovery, 3% of all global destinations have now taken steps to ease travel restrictions.

UNWTO has been monitoring the global response to COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. The fourth edition of its COVID-19 Related Travel Restrictions: A Global Review for Tourism report, again looked at the measures of 217 destinations worldwide as of 18 May 2020. The research shows that 7 destinations have eased travel restrictions for international tourism purposes. At the same time, several more destinations are engaged in significant discussions about the re-opening of borders. The report notes that 100% of all destinations worldwide continue to have some form of COVID-19-related travel restrictions in place. Furthermore, as of 18 May 75% continued to have their borders completely closed for international tourism.

In 37% of all cases, travel restrictions have been in place for 10 weeks, while 24% of global destinations have had restrictions in place for 14 weeks or more. UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “The timely and responsible easing of travel restrictions will help ensure the many social and economic benefits that tourism guarantees will return in a sustainable way. This will contribute to the livelihoods of many millions of people around the world. The sector is a driver of sustainable development and a pillar of economies. UNWTO stresses the need for vigilance, responsibility and international cooperation as the world slowly opens up again.”

Looking into global travel restrictions more closely, the UNWTO research shows that, the more important tourism is to the economies of individual destinations, the more likely they are to have introduced complete border closures. In the case of SIDS destinations (Small Island Developing States), 85% continue to have their borders completely closed for tourism purposes. All UNWTO regions have more than 65% of their destinations completely closed to tourism: Africa (74%), Americas (86%), Asia and the Pacific (67%), Europe (74%) and the Middle East (69%).