Turismo, Bocca: “You can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we haven’t gone out yet”

First signs of a restart for tourism in Italy but even if “you can see a bit of light at the end of the tunnel, we have not yet come out”. This is the picture described by the president of Federalberghi Bernabò Bocca in an interview with Adnkronos in the aftermath of the All Saints’ Bridge which saw about 10 million Italians on the move, by car and train, confirming the forecasts. But, observes Bocca, these are “Italians who remained in Italy, with a lot of internal movement and some destinations benefited from it. It was a good bridge, however there are still no foreigners. However, even if we are still below the 2019 numbers, the anniversary November 1 went better than expected for hotels “. This year, American tourists have resumed traveling also in Italy and Bocca reports that “it is already a good sign that in 2021 they returned in greater numbers than in 2020 but they were still much less than in 2019”. And it is also a positive note “the fact that there are good prospects for 2022 from the US market. There is a great desire for Italy and we are very pleased”. “The Americans, however, book in February to come from May onwards and this great desire, for now, has not yet transformed into reservations and therefore – adds Bernabò Bocca – we need to understand what happens from today to February”. While for the flows from Russia and China the president of the Italian hoteliers welcomes a novelty of these days. “The news is excellent about those who are vaccinated with Sputnik and with the Chinese vaccine who, if they take a third dose with Pfizer or Moderna, can get the green pass, according to AIFA. Otherwise, in 2022 – he underlines – it would have been necessary to do without of Russian and Chinese tourism which represent important slices for Italy “. Selective aid to companies – “In 2021 there are realities that have achieved different results: companies in the cities of art have suffered more because of the first 5 months in lockdown so we ask that the sector continue to be helped, because it is not enough to have a weekend of full roads to think that tourism has resumed. At this point, however – warns Bocca – selective aid is needed based on the actual loss of turnover in 2021 compared to 2019. We must continue to help companies that are located in places that they live off intercontinental tourism “he argues with conviction. Decontribution for those who recall from the cig – The provision for decontribution aimed at tourism companies that recall staff to work from the redundancy fund “after 4 months from its issue, is not yet operational. This measure expires on December 31 of this’ year but the money allocated will probably not be used due to bureaucratic steps and risk being thrown away “. It would be necessary to “unblock the situation immediately and then, at least, provide for an extension for these hoteliers who are making the staff work instead of letting them stay at home at the expense of the state. ministries, the EU, the INPS … it’s not clear where the hitch is “, remarks Bocca. Optimism for Christmas – For Bocca there are good prospects for Christmas, a little less for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception which is celebrated on 8 December. “In reality, this year 8 December will not be a bridge because it falls on a Wednesday, it will be for the Milanese because they join Sant’Ambrogio on 7 December: so we already know that the bulk of the flows in our hotels will come from Milan and in mountain will open the lifts “. As for a forecast on Natale Bocca declares himself “optimistic” because there will continue to be “the theme of the Italians who will remain in Italy. Our mountains are mainly frequented by domestic or European tourism”. So “we are very positive about winter and Christmas”, the entrepreneur reiterates. Covid – “It seems to me that it is a fourth wave of unvaccinated people; that infections with the cold and staying indoors were taken for granted, the theme is that intensive care will not increase and, to date, more than 90% of those hospitalized in therapy intensive care are unvaccinated people. I would worry if there was a boom in intensive care or vaccinated deaths, – adds the head of Federalberghi – but since the vaccine is proving to work, I believe that only by going ahead with a strong vaccination campaign from this situation we definitely get out of it “. So for Bocca “yes to the third dose” and it is also important that “the issue of vaccines for children under 12 years old is addressed because today most of the infections are due to pupils who go to school and are not vaccinated. some clarity “remarks Bocca. In addition, he continues, on the topic of distancing measures in congresses and conferences, he says:” Despite the fact that it has been removed in cinemas, theaters and stadiums, the distancing continues to exist for conferences and congresses that they generally take place in hotels, despite the fact that the State-Regions Conference approved their abolition several weeks ago “. There is, he adds, “a bureaucracy that reigns supreme in Italy.” “The tourism minister Garavaglia announced several weeks ago, at the Rimini tourism fair, the Ttg, that the State Regions Conference had approved the abolition of the distancing for these events but today we are still awaiting the ordinance of the Ministry of Health “remarks Bocca. Therefore, if hotels have to host a meeting “they still have to follow the old rules superseded by a resolution that now lies on some table, we think of the CTS”. “We must hurry – exhorts Bocca – also because hotels thrive on congresses now that the tourist season is over and we cannot think of being the only business category to still observe the distancing”. (by Cristina Armeni)