Confcommercio’s president Carlo Sangalli says tourism needs more support, and according to data released by the Italian General Confederation of Enterprises, the sector closed 2020 with -66% arrivals, and -61% overnights compared to 2019.
An overall negative balance for summer
During the summer there was a partial recovery with the June - August 2021 quarter recording +58% of arrivals and + 71% of overnights compared to the same quarter in 2020, but overall there was a negative balance in that summer quarter with -40% arrivals and -28% overnights compared to 2019.
“The losses caused by the pandemic are huge”
"The funds allocated for tourism, must remain with tourism - said the president of Confcommercio Carlo Sangalli – Italy’s economy is recovering. However the losses caused by the pandemic are huge, especially for tour operators, travel agencies and the hotel sector. We need more support for the most penalized businesses.”
The extra-EU big spenders stayed away
The fundamental requests are support for business investments, the opening of more extra-EU international corridors for safe travel, and professional training that reply to the needs of the new scenarios. The most negative figures concern foreign tourism with -26% in August 2021 compared to the same month of 2019, and an absence on the market of the so-called extra-EU "big spender".
