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How Italy’s tourist hotspots are preparing for summer 2021

As Covid-19 restrictions across Italy ease, how are the nation's most popular destinations gearing up for summer?

Published: 21 May 2021 16:53 CEST
How Italy's tourist hotspots are preparing for summer 2021
Photo: Vincenzo Pinto/AFP

Italy is loosening some of its restrictions on international travel and says it plans to open up to the world for tourism this summer.

Although the rules on  getting into Italy will vary depending on the country you are travelling from, visitors from some countries can enjoy more relaxed rules.

There’s now no quarantine requirement for travellers from the EU, Britain and Israel, and tourism from the US, Canada, Japan or the UAE, is now allowed on Covid-tested flights.

With the vaccination campaign picking up pace and the planned introduction of a ‘green pass‘ to allow tourism to restart, the industry is awakening from its lockdown slumber and preparing to welcome tourists again.

READ ALSO: What’s the latest on how the EU’s ‘Covid passports’ will work for travellers?

Tourism in Italy is a source of much-needed income after last year’s hefty loss of more than €120 billion for the sector – more than a 60% drop compared to 2019.

According to a study by research agency, Demoskopia, in conjunction with the University of Sannio, over 23 million extra tourists are expected between June and September, compared with the same period last year.
 
The regions of Puglia, Tuscany and Sicily take the top spots for the predicted most-visited destinations.  They’re followed by Emilia-Romagna and Sardinia as the tourist hubs for summer 2021.
 
The regions most visited forecast for 2021, according to estimates. Source: Demoskopia
 
Puglia
 
With Puglia at the top of the list, expecting some four million visitors from within the EU alone, is the region prepared for a summer of tourism?
 
Forming the heel of Italy’s ‘boot’, this region’s stunning coastline and beaches are a huge draw for holidaymakers – and authorities have been busy ensuring those picture perfect seascapes are in top shape, following a study in May deeming the water quality “excellent”.
 
 
Puglia’s beaches amaze and its waters are ranked “excellent” Photo: Massimo Virgilio/Unsplash
 
The Regional Agency for Environmental Prevention and Protection (ARPA) found that the coastline has met the highest quality for bathing standards.
 
The agency’s environmental analyst, Pietro Petruzzelli said, “For the city of Bari, it is hugely satisfying to be able to count on 42 kilometres of coastline that are safe from a health and hygiene point of view – all the more so if the assessment is ‘excellent’ everywhere in terms of water quality.”
 
 
He also expects water sports to feature in people’s Puglia holidays: “Excellent water quality can help give new life to water sports activities that, like all sports, have had to suffer an inevitable slowdown due to the health emergency,” he added.
 
Tuscany
 
“We are ready,” announced the Regional Councillor for Tourism, Leonardo Marras, on Tuscany’s regional newspage.
 
The region that’s famously home to vineyards, renaissance art and breathtaking coastlines is prepared for the influx of tourists, but with “virtuous behaviour and respect for the rules”.
 
Marras added, “It will be a safe holiday in our region. Of course, prudence is a must.”
Florence in Tuscany is holding a plethora of evens this summer. Photo: Mark Tegethoff / Unsplash
 
In Tuscany, 4.1 million tourists are expected this summer season, according to the Demoskopika study. That’s a 13.6% rise on last year’s figures.
 
“Certainly, it will take time to make up for lost ground and this summer will also have its limitations. But we will be able to manage the situation in the best possible way thanks to the professionalism of all the operators in the sector,” said Marras.
 
“The towns are also ready to organise, as far as possible, events that will give tourists the best possible welcome,” he added.
 
Such events include city festivals in Florence, from the Florence Jazz Festival to the ‘Apriti Cinema‘ (Open Cinema).
 
Celebrations linked to Dante’s 700th anniversary are also earmarked to commemorate this famous literary great.
 
Venice

The magical floating city is relaunching itself this month with the opening of the International Architecture Exhibition (Biennale Architettura) on 22nd May and the Venice Boat Show (Salone Nautico) on 29th May.

“We will be the first to resume with events in attendance, but we need clear indications from the government,” said Tourism Councillor Simone Venturini in an interview on the city’s website.

READ ALSO: 16 surprising facts about Venice to mark 16 centuries of the lagoon city

Other scheduled spectacles include the reopening of the art museum Punta della Dogana, and in September the Doge’s Palace will host the 1600th anniversary exhibition “Venice, Birth and Rebirth”.

The watery ways of Italy’s floating city have been unusually quiet during Covid-19 restrictions. It’s now ready to welcome back tourists. Photo by Rebe Adelaida on Unsplash

Sardinia

This island in the Mediterranean has fluctuated during the pandemic, being at one time Italy’s only lowest-risk white zone, before plunging into the harshest red-zone restrictions.

Along with the rest of the country now, however, Sardinia is easing its restrictions and preparing for the tourists to arrive.

READ ALSO: Reader question: What kind of coronavirus test do I need to take for travel to Italy?

€1 million are being pumped into the coastal towns to ensure the beaches are of a high standard to attract potential travellers.

And the island is going ahead with more than just gorgeous beaches for people to relax on.

The tourism board is also planning the Rally Italia Sardegna, a car-racing event that “contributes to promoting tourism and the image of the island nationally and internationally”, said Gianni Chessa, Regional Councillor for Tourism, during a video meeting with the event organisers on Friday.

Sardinia’s sparkling seas aren’t the only thing open for summer 2021. Photo by Ivan Ragozin on Unsplash

Italy’s ‘Covid-free islands’

Dozens of small islands around Italy are gearing up for tourists with complete vaccination rollouts.

Procida, in the Bay of Naples, became the first such island to administer shots to all its residents earlier in May.

Mass vaccinations are also underway at other islands close by, including Ischia and Capri, and at various islands off the coast of the country, such as the Pontine islands in Lazio, the Tremiti in Puglia, Capraia and Giglio in Tuscany, and the Maddalena archipelago off Sardinia.

READ ALSO: How Italy’s ‘Covid-free islands’ vaccine plan hopes to save summer travel

It isn’t just a move to encourage tourists to visit. Procida’s mayor Dino Ambrosino said, “Small islands in Italy are fragile territories that often have limited health services.”

The port of the volcanic island of Ischia (front) and the island of Procida (back) are pictured in the Bay of Naples, off Italy’s western coast on the Tyrrhenian Sea. (Photo by Laurent EMMANUEL / AFP)

As Italy reopens as a whole, the plan is to “relaunch Italian tourism”, according to the president of Demoskopika, Raffaele Rio.

 “They are encouraging estimates for the recovery but we need to play in advance with a recovery plan for 2022-2023… which fuels the restart and stimulates domestic and international demand for Italy,” he added.

Stay up to date with Italy’s travel rules by following The Local’s travel section and checking the Italian Health Ministry’s website (in English).

Member comments

  1. Hi – I have a question that I cannot seem to find the answer for. When it says “There’s now no quarantine requirement for travellers from the EU, Britain and Israel…” does that mean anyone, from any country, can have no quarantine even though I am a US passport holder coming to Italy as part of an ongoing vacation? Or does it mean, as a US passport holder, even though I am entering from UK, I have to follow rules as if I’d arrived from the US? If anyone has a definitive answer that would be very helpful. Thanks.

    1. You need to follow rules as a US citizen. It matters the country of your passport and where you originated from on trip.

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EES PASSPORT CHECKS

EES border checks could undergo ‘soft launch’, UK says as app concerns mount

The UK government is preparing for a "soft launch" of the new EU border system – the Entry/Exit (EES) system - in October but authorities are still waiting for European Commission to confirm the start date, amid concerns over the delay of a new app.

Published: 4 May 2024 09:30 CEST
EES border checks could undergo 'soft launch', UK says as app concerns mount

The UK government is preparing for a soft launch of the new EU border system – the entry/exit (EES) system – on the assumption that it will go live on October 6th, ministers told a hearing at the House of Commons European scrutiny committee this week.

But the European Commission is expected to confirm the exact launch date of the new biometric checks for non-EU travellers entering the Schengen area at some point this summer, they added.

“We are very much working on a basis whereby this policy will go live on the 6th of October. It is important that we plan for that eventuality. We are expecting to hear definitively from the European Union that ‘go live’ arrangement in the summer,” Tom Pursglove, UK Minister for Legal Migration and the Border told the committee.

The parliamentary committee is conducting an inquiry on the disruptions the system will cause in the UK.

Pursglove also said that “precautionary measures” have been agreed by the EU, that will be put in place in certain circumstances after the start of EES, for example if delays at the borders exceeded a certain length of time.

Guy Opperman, Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Transport, said that in practice this meant a “soft launch” of EES for 6 months before “a full go live”. During that soft launch EU member states and the UK could deploy flexibility measures should problems occur.

“The likelihood is, after multiple delays, that the 6th of October will proceed” and the implementation looks “very different” compared to previous scenarios considering the flexibility allowed in the first 6 months, he argued.

No details were given on what these “flexible” measures would involve however. 

READ ALSO: Your questions answered about Europe’s EES passport checks

He conceded that “a lot of work” still needs to be done but the UK “should be as ready as everybody” and “better be at front of the queue”.

App not ready

During the meeting, it also emerged that a much-anticipated app that would allow remote pre-registration of non-EU citizens subject to the checks will not be available for testing until August “at best”, prompting concerns about the EES launch date.

“You don’t need to be a sceptic about future projects to think that the provision of the app in August for going live in October is optimistic,” Opperman said.

Ministers confirmed that the app will not be ready in time for October and the committee previously stated it might be delayed until summer 2025.

The app will facilitate pre-registration, but photo and fingerprints will still have to be taken at the border in front of a guard, the committee heard.

READ ALSO: How do the EU’s new EES passport checks affect the 90-day rule?

Several MPs asked whether the entry into operation of the EES should be delayed again if technology is not ready. But Under-Secretary Opperman said the app “is not going to be a panacea to fix all problems”.

The main aim of EES is to increase security and to ensure that non-EU nationals visiting the Schengen area for a short-term do not stay more than 90 days in any 180-day period.

The entry into operation of the system has already been delayed several times and there have been calls from certain travel companies and national authorities to delay it again.

Under the new scheme, non-EU/EFTA travellers who do not need a visa will have to register their biometric data (finger prints and facial images) in a database that will also record each time they enter and exit the Schengen area.

Instead of having passports manually stamped, travellers will have to scan them at self-service kiosks before crossing the border. However, fingerprints and a photo will have to be registered in front of a guard at the first crossing and there are concerns the extra time needed will generate long queues, especially in Dover, Folkestone and St. Pancras station in London, where there are juxtaposed French and UK border checks.

Progress in preparations

Minister Pursglove also updated MPs on ongoing preparations. He said some testing of the system will take place within days, 5 kiosks have been installed at St. Pancras station and are available for testing. “You are beginning to see the physical infrastructure appear,” he said.

Kiosks and extra lanes are also being created at the port Dover and it was agreed with the EU passengers travelling by coach will be checked away from the Eastern dock, where controls usually take place, allowing to gain space. The vehicles will then sealed and drive on the ferries.

MPs also discussed the infrastructure cost linked to the introduction of the EES. Opperman said all EU countries will have to make “huge investments” in their ports. In the UK, he argued, this will help “address problems that have existed for some time”. Because of this “massive investment”, in a few years time “Dover will be totally transformed,” he said.

This article is published in cooperation with Europe Street News.

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