Trade associations in Italy are lamenting as they report a major drop in bookings, saying tourism industry risks being crippled by the novel coronavirus crisis.
Confturismo-Confcommercio on Wednesday estimated that the number of nights spent in Italy by domestic and foreign tourists would drop by 31.6 million in the period between March/May.
The organisation said this would result in a loss of around 7.4 billion euros (8.2 billion dollars) for the industry, calling it a prudent estimate.
Confturismo President Luca Patane said in a statement, “the situation is dramatic for the entire sector,’’ blaming alarmist media for scaring off tourists.
“Unfortunately, we are paying the consequences of media reporting which has been far more lethal than the virus, hysteria is actually the worst virus.’’
According to the most recent full-year figures, dating from 2018, Italy recorded just under 430 million nightly stays in its tourist accommodation establishments.
So the loss in business estimated by Confcommercio would amount to about 7 per cent of the yearly total, assuming no change from 2018 figures.
Italy is facing the worst outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Europe. As of Tuesday, more than 2,500 infections were reported, including 79 deaths.
The outbreak is concentrated in the northern regions of Lombardy and Veneto which include Milan and Venice, normally major destinations for business and leisure travellers.
Federalberghi President Bernardo Bocca told the ANSA news agency “we are seeing Milan and our most important cities empty like Kabul,’’ speaking for another hoteliers’ group.
Several trade fairs have been cancelled in Lombardy and Veneto, including the wine industry’s Vinitaly in Verona and Milan’s furniture and eyewear fairs.
