Yesterday saw tourism as a protagonist within the “Estates-General” convened by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. “I cannot hide,” said the President of Federturismo Confindustria Marina Lalli, “deep concern about the tightness of the system as a whole. The month of September will be decisive; from some preliminary estimates we risk the definitive closure of 20-30% of tourism businesses (some supply chains such as travel agencies up to 70%) with damage to employment, but also to the induced of enormous proportions. And this is the cry of alarm that comes from all our members”.
The speech by Bernabò Bocca, president of Federalberghi also highlighted the profound difficulties of this industry. “Ours was the first industry to experience the signs of the crisis, when the epidemic still seemed to be confined to China. It is currently paying a very high price and it will probably be the last to get out. 2020 had announced itself with positive signs. But already in February we recorded the first declines. In March there was a real meltdown in the number of visitors to accommodation establishments (‐92.3% for foreigners and ‐85.9% for Italians). In April and May, the market completely stopped (overall ‐97.8% and ‐94.8%). In particular, they hid foreigners (‐99% in both months).”
Vittorio Messina, president of Assoturismo Confesercenti, on the sidelines of the meetings on tourism, had stressed: “We estimate that the crisis in the hospitality system has already canceled 82,000 jobs. And the bill does not include administration or the rest of the tourism supply chain: travel agencies, tourist guides, beach clubs, widespread tourism and open air businesses. Entrepreneurs, professionals and self-employed workers who have no protections.”
“We told President Conte how necessary and essential it is to define a path and strategy for relaunching,” was written in a note from Confindustria Alberghi, “but at the same time we had to highlight how the hotel industry in Italy and tourism in general are still in an emergency phase which therefore calls for a series of urgent interventions, necessary for the protection of the companies themselves. The sector is highly at risk and still faces many months of great difficulty”.
Nourished the list of requests brought to the table by the various protagonists. Federturismo stressed the need to resort to zero-cost measures, such as that relating to the extension of state concessions, which could be of great help and support. Other pillars on which to dwell to restart the sector are bureaucracy and tax authorities, for which leaner and faster procedures would be needed. Among the other priorities of Federturismo there are also infrastructures, digitalization, training and sustainability.
Federalberghi reminded the Government of the need to strengthen the support measures provided for in the “Relaunch decree”, also urgently acknowledging some measures provided for in the plan drawn up by the Committee of experts. The priorities range from the extension of the State economic support to avoid layoffs to the reduction of the labor cost for the businesses that restart, passing through the peculiarities of the rental companies and the reduction of the tax burden on the instrumental properties, without forgetting the problems connected with the redevelopment of the accommodation facilities, the unfair competition exercised by the hundreds of thousands of illegal apartments that pollute the market and the abuse of dominant power of the booking portals that systematically harass hotels.
A first response from the government came from Dario Franceschini, Minister for Cultural Heritage and Activities and for Tourism. “Culture and tourism are strategic for the revitalization of the country, I am optimistic about the recovery,” he said. “Already this year I am convinced that infra-European tourism will resume in our country, and non-European tourism will soon return. For this reason, it is important to focus on the redevelopment of the structures, capable of welcoming high tourism. In addition, infrastructure must be improved, both on the Adriatic and Tyrrhenian backbones, bringing high-speed trains to Sicily. Finally, we must prepare ourselves to multiply the attractors of international tourism”.
“We are very satisfied with the outcome of today’s meeting with the Prime Minister Conte, which lasted over 4 hours,” said Federturismo Confindustria President Marina Lalli at the end, “both for the method and for the sharing of the objectives. The Prime Minister has listened very carefully to the requests we have made in support of our industry and we are confident that we will soon have the answers we expected for the restart of our supply chain”.
Assoturismo Confesercenti also released a positive note: “From the government we have found attention. We have tried to give a balanced – albeit unfortunately dramatic – picture of the health of tourism and administration, proposing solutions for the support and revitalization of this fundamental piece of the economy”.
Definitely more critical, however, Confindustria Alberghi. “We need measures that accompany companies at least until the end of 2020 and courageous choices that help the sector to restart,” was written in the statement released yesterday. “First of all, a cut in labor costs to create the conditions for the reopening and to bring workers back to full pay. Looking ahead, the sector needs a profound renewal in the system of rules which are now largely overcome by the new market dynamics. This is also why we cannot fail to express our disappointment with a program of the ‘Estates-General’ which has provided for the tourism industry only just over an hour and access in the presence of a highly contingent presence. This does not reflect the attention that we would have expected in a sector that is undoubtedly the most affected and which constitutes one of the primary components of the country’s economy”.
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