in 2020 trips halved and operators are alarmed for summer 2021

by time news

The trips of Italians to spend a holiday have halved in 2020 with a reduction of 44.8% and even more trips for work reasons have dropped -67.9%, so much so that, overall, departures have reached their historical low: 37 million and 527 thousand (with 231 million and 197 thousand overnight stays). The crisis crossed by tourism in the year marked by the covid, is certified, in all its gravity by Istat in the full-bodied report ‘Travel and holidays in Italy and abroad – 2020’, in which statisticians rattle off data to say the least. little worrying if not alarming for operators.


And it is almost superfluous to guess how even the users of tourism throw into despair who, this year, pull the handbrake before booking a summer holiday, frightened at the thought of having to cancel a trip and perhaps receive a voucher as a refund. The confirmation comes from a study by Assoturismo-Confesercenti: only 5% of Italians say they have booked for this summer and 6 million people, who would like to book, are waiting to understand the evolution of the situation, when the borders between the region are reopened and region.

This is a theme of the reopening on which the Minister of Tourism, Massimo Garavaglia, intervened, hypothesizing as D-Day on 2 June. “In France they say July 14, in the USA July 4 and we have June 2, a little earlier. It could be a date but the theme is planning and monitoring,” he said.

Assoturismo, rules and safety protocols as soon as possible to leave again

Due to the “pandemic shock”, 11 out of 100 people, according to Istat, have given up taking a trip and 7 out of 100 Italians have given up their summer vacation (they were 37.8% in 2019, 30.9% in 2020 those who take at least one vacation between July and September) even if the drop in travel has eased for the summer holidays to -18.6%. For foreign destinations, it is instead a “real collapse”: the reduction in travel is 80% and over 100 million overnight stays compared to 2019 (-78.2%) while the Italian locations are affected in lesser extent (-37.1%) and 90.9% of trips are the destination.

Faced with this situation comes yet another cry of alarm from companies. “It is essential to know, as soon as possible, the rules agreed with the institutions, such as the definitive safety protocols, to be ready for the restart of the sector, and to be competitive in the panorama of European and world tourism offers; this information would allow companies to study and plan the offer of the tourist service “assoturismo-confesercenti argued during a hearing in the Senate.

Confindustria Alberghi, serves road map

Programming is also requested by hoteliers, the collective accommodation structures most affected by the sharp decline in travel with overnight stays -57.8% of trips and -62.2% of nights. “We are asking the Government for a road map for the restart and a table for measures to support the sector that we have been asking for for months”, underlines Maria Carmela Colaiacovo, vice president of the Italian Confindustria Alberghi Association. While, on the demand side, Massimiliano Dona, president of the National Consumers Union, speaks of “a real tsunami” spread by Istat and calls for: “measures are urgently needed so that at least for this summer, from June to September, the holidays can restart on a regular basis, while respecting the anti-Covid protocols “.

Garavaglia speaks the same language. “Programming is essential so we have to start saying we are working sector by sector we are seeing the protocols and we will make our proposals” he said during a TV broadcast. And to insist on the need for a ‘road map’ is another Northern League member of the government, the Undersecretary of Agriculture Gian Marco Centinaio who says: “Serious protocols, given certain once and for all, and adequate controls so as to guarantee total reopening safety. A road map must be indicated. Then it will be up to the state to create the state and ensure that the rules are respected by all “. (by Cristina Armeni)

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