Italy Update, Week April 27 – May 3, 2020

Italy Update, Week April 27 – May 3, 2020

1 May 2020
Italy Phase 2  has been announced by Prime Minister Conte last Sunday and envision a paced re-opening of most production activities and services during the month of May. This has been the key topic of the whole week.

 

WHAT NUMBERS TELL US

The value of the Italian epidemic curve of total day-to-day contagions is continuing its decreasing trend, confirming the numbers registered in the last weeks, with a reduced number of contagions and positive patients, and much more people recovering from the desease. Other positive figures include much lower  intensive care patients and patients entering the hospitals.

The Ministry of Health latest update is dated April 29th at 6pm reports of 104,657 positive cases, a total of 27,682 deaths and a total of 71,252 healed patients. More info

GOVERNMENT MEASURES 

On Sunday 26th, President of Council Conte signed the new decree that includes the measures of the so called “phase 2” valid from May 4th: social distance and personal protections are still the basis for social relations; the decree will allow people to go out and visit relatives within the same Region, but with no permission of crowds nor in public or private spaces. Bar and restaurants will be allowed to open for take away, while the decree permits the open of manufacturing, construction, real estate and wholesale companies, that still have to guarantee the respect of protection measures for employees. The President announced that shops may reopen from May 18th while bar, restaurants, hairdressers, beauty centers have to wait until June 1st; these forecast will strictly depend on the contagion trends.More info

For example, according to a survey conducted by TripAdvisor, 88% of Italians are ‘excited’ on their first post-COVID trip and 59% have already started searching online to plan it.The announcements of the new decree by Premier Conte had a positive echo also in the tourism industry, affirming that Government is studying measures to secure the upcoming Summer season and to allow travels among Regions in the next weeks. Less restrictions also had a positive impact on travellers, that can already start thinking about their next holidays.

Insights

  • Finale Ligure, one of the popular seaside cities of Liguria Region, announced that they will focus on outdoor eco friendly tourism to attract the target of millennials. More info 

  • Minister of Tourism, tour operator Alpitour and Enit – Italian national tourism agency, are promoting the initiative Hack For The Travel Industry that will take place on May 1st – 2nd involving innovators, startuppers, developers, operators in the world of tourism and culture sharing their disruptive skills and ideas to find innovative solutions for the industry. More info

  • European countries are starting planning the restart of tourism industry, as Austria, Spain and Portugal, together with Poland and France, which are all scheduling the reopening of hotels, bars, restaurants, museums within mid May. More info

  • BWH Hotel Group announced the entrance of 6 new hotels in their portfolio, highlighting the decision of the hotel entrepreneurs to rely on the group and invest, despite the moment. More info

  • According to Club Med, this will be the year of the holiday in the mountains, which will be the preferred destination for Summer holidays. More info

  • the Maldives will be ready to welcome tourists from the beginning of July. More info

Events

It has been introduced the bulletin from Enit – National Tourism Agency’s Studies Office – that will present data on overnight stays, spending and prospects for tourism 2020, and includes exclusive indicators based on digital ecosystem and airport bookings, bench marking on competitors, in order to punctually monitor the evolution of the tourism industry in Italy in view of the restart, with a careful look at bookings and prices and the sales orientation through the constant contact of the agency’s foreign offices with foreign tour operators. More info 

Travel Connections

European Governments are working to support national airlines, as in France, where the government is evaluating a 7 billion plan to support Air France or in the case of Lufthansa, for which it has been agreed a 9 billion help plan from the German government. also in Italy, good news for Alitalia, which will be 100% public and  is expected to restart operations in June with 90 aircraft implementing 30% of its long haul destinations at the beginning.

Cruises: 2 out of 3 cruise lovers are ready to board soon. In particular repeaters and travellers over 65 year old are those less likely to change their habits. More info

Emirates improves its refund services in order to promptly and proactively face all the requests from customers, including reservation changes, refunds and information. More info

 

NUMBERS

Vanity Fair, at an auction on eBay 100 copies of the issue “L’Italia Siamo Noi” signed by Francesco Vezzoli. The proceeds will be donated to the solidarity campaign promoted by the LAPS Foundation in support of the Italian Red Cross. DISCOVER MORE

62% of Italians, according to a survey by Beintoo, affirm that they forecast to spend more or the same as before, after the emergency expires DISCOVER MORE

 

MEDIA

The 24 ORE Group has responded promptly to the change by designing innovative formats for the events that will take place from May to July. DISCOVER MORE

Netflix offers five documentaries to watch for free on YouTube. DISCOVER MORE

 

PEOPLE

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, among the first celebrities to test positive for the Coronavirus, have decided to donate their blood, hoping that their antibodies will be useful for the research and testing of a vaccine against Covid-19. DISCOVER MORE

Kate Middleton and William launch a project for the mental health of healthcare workers. A project that through the efforts of various charities will provide psychological support, 24 hours a day, to those who, as doctors and policemen, put their mental health at risk. DISCOVER MORE

 

BRANDS

Facebook Rooms, the social launches Video Call Rooms for up to 50 participants to help people feel closer. DISCOVER MORE

Ferrarelle thanks all the Italians are working directly in the field to overcome this moment, through a new commercial which revolves around the “Lisci, Gassati o Italiani?” payoff and brings to the stage yesterday’s Italy, today’s Italy and the post-emergency Italy. DISCOVER MORE

OTHERS

Lithuania is offering public ground to bar and restaurants: in this way, they will have more space to accommodate clients while respecting social distance measures. DISCOVER MORE

This week the last beam of the former Morandi bridge in Genoa, which once again joins the east and west of the capital and Liguria, was fixed. A symbol of rebirth, of a new start for the whole country. DISCOVER MORE