«On the beaches we will guarantee businesses. New rules on short-term rentals in May»- Corriere.it

We will surpass the data of 2019 and 2023 will be the year of overtaking, everyone wants to come to Italy. To do it the Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanch has just launched a communication campaign Italy: Open to Wonder with Botticelli’s Venus becoming testimonial: We want to promote our nation and our excellence, with a simple but equally powerful message: Italy is an open door to wonder. The Venus is the symbol of this rebirth of tourism after the difficult years of the pandemic.

But among hotel structures that are often not up to par, places taken by storm, hotels and restaurants without workers, what kind of Italy do the tourists find?
An Italy of excellence in hospitality. We are not only famous in the world for the beauty of our views or the greatness of our cuisine but also for the ability of our tour operators to offer unique experiences. And this is the result of an extraordinary professional ability which is reflected in the importance that tourism has for our economy, 13% of GDP. Of course, not everything is perfect, but we are working to solve the problems.

What summer should we expect after Easter numbers and crowds?
At Easter, Italy placed second among the most visited European destinations, behind only Spain. We have recorded the record return of US tourists and this makes us think that 2023 will give us great satisfaction. We aim for first place, and this can be done if we improve the services and aim to raise the standard of our structures more and more.

Does it also mean higher prices?
No, it means offering a tourist offer for all tastes and budgets, ranging from hostels to large hotels, from family-friendly facilities to luxury. It means raising the quality of the entire accommodation system, in every category.

What will happen to the Italian beaches after the new intervention of Europe?
The sentence of the EU Court of Justice reaffirms some principles that we already knew and this allows the government to continue its dialogue with the European Commission. Our goal is to guarantee seaside businesses a certain framework and clear guarantees, also to safeguard the investments made over time. We are very optimistic and we are working in this direction and I am also in favor of an increase in fees.

Will it regulate short-term rentals?
Our utmost attention to avoid the far west, also in view of major events such as the 2025 Jubilee in Rome. In the coming weeks we will present a bill to set some criteria and provide greater certainty. Let’s think of a minimum number of nights for renting, protection for large families who choose a house over a hotel, a register for those who host.

Is there a shortage of seasonal workers?
Unfortunately the risk is there. In 2022 250 thousand were missing, at Easter 50 thousand. We are working with Minister Calderone to find solutions, starting with the tax reduction for night and public holidays. But then there is the great problem of training: there is a lack of skills and professionalism. We need to invest in this, an absolute priority. being a cook or a waiter is not a second-class job, on the contrary.

Perhaps there is a problem of wages that are too low?
Anyone who offers too low wages is not an entrepreneur but a “borrower” who exploits his collaborators. But the true entrepreneur knows that his value depends on his team. The government is working to further cut the tax wedge, lower taxes and cut the bonds and snares that hold back businesses.

Are you in favor of closed numbers in the most popular tourist resorts? No, it doesn’t fix the situation. Better to work on the tourist offer, expanding and diversifying it, making known what is less known and less visited: in Veneto there is not only Piazza San Marco in Venice, just as in Lazio there are not only Rome, the Colosseum and San Pietro.

At what stage are the Pnrr funds for tourism?
The Ministry of Tourism has achieved all goals. We are working on a mapping of tourism companies to intervene in the best possible way.

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