American tourists are beginning to return, but the road is still long: operators are waiting for them with open arms, counting on the new rules on entry into the U.S. and the decline in the curve of contagions, with the progress of the vaccination campaign, to restart the market richer and more coveted.

"American tourists are reappearing: we can't talk about flows but seeing that the market is reopening is already a success. We are waiting for them with open arms," says to AGI the president of Federturismo, Marina Lalli. For the destinations in the East, she points out, "there are still many limitations and being able to reopen the channel is for our operators a breath of relief".

"There are positive signals from the American tourist market, but the real test will be in spring", underlines the president of Federalberghi, Bernabò Bocca, according to whom there is "certainly an improvement in arrivals from overseas compared to last year, but the numbers are still laughable. However, we register a great interest in Italy for spring 2022". "We are optimistic - Bocca tells AGI - and our hopes are placed in the U.S. market, which is the first for art cities in terms of numbers and level of spending."

Covid free flights

At the beginning of the summer with the covid free flights - recalls Lalli - there was a breath of fresh air but short-lived: "Now, with the new rules, we expect that they can really come back because Americans are high-spending tourists, who leave in the territory a daily quota higher than other tourists".

"There is a great desire among U.S. citizens to return to travel: our operators are waiting for them with trepidation," confirms Ivana Jelinic, president of Fiavet. "In the summer - she explains to AGI - we saw very small numbers, few daredevils came. From November should reopen but do not expect the pre-pandemic data. There will be a return but not in massive form, rather a gradual normalization. In summer - continues Lalli - individual tourists came from the USA, not the usual ones who know the country. And groups have never returned. In the pre-Covid years, arrivals amounted to 4.4 million.

"The summer was positive thanks to domestic tourism and now the test is the fall season for the restart of the cities of art: here the difference would be the U.S. tourism that is high-end," says Vittorio Messina, president of Assoturismo, hoping that "arrivals from the United States restart as soon as possible"; "American tourism is very important and could return even in ski resorts, those to '5 stars'.

Americans - points out the president of Federturismo - are very fascinated by Made in Italy and the imaginary of the 'Dolce Vita' continues to take hold".

Attention to health conditions

But now it's a matter of preparing for the new requirements: the destinations will remain the traditional ones, but tourists - observes the president of Fiavet - will be more attentive to health and hygiene conditions. "Renewed structures, which have had the strength and courage to invest, can now have an extra gear, an important competitive advantage in the coming months", assures Lalli. "The fact that we are reaching considerable levels of vaccination - concludes Jelinic - will help the market to reassure itself".

And the narrative of Italy during the pandemic? "We came out well - observes Lalli - we were the first affected country after China, we were in difficulty but then we showed to be able to manage the situation better than others. Even in this last period, we are seen as the country that is getting back on its feet, that has projects, that achieves excellent results in sports, in music, that gives guarantees also at a political level. The perception has changed a bit: a country that is beautiful for having fun but also capable of making a turnaround to reorganize itself."

"There is a great desire among U.S. citizens to return to travel: our operators are waiting for them with trepidation," confirms Ivana Jelinic, president of Fiavet. "In the summer - she explains to AGI - we saw very small numbers, few daredevils came. From November should reopen but do not expect the pre-pandemic data. There will be a return but not in massive form, rather a gradual normalization. In summer - continues Lalli - individual tourists came from the USA, not the usual ones who know the country. And groups have never returned. In the pre-Covid years, arrivals amounted to 4.4 million.

"The summer was positive thanks to domestic tourism and now the test is the fall season for the restart of the cities of art: here the difference would be the U.S. tourism that is high-end," says Vittorio Messina, president of Assoturismo, hoping that "arrivals from the United States restart as soon as possible"; "American tourism is very important and could return even in ski resorts, those to '5 stars'.

Americans - points out the president of Federturismo - are very fascinated by Made in Italy and the imaginary of the 'Dolce Vita' continues to take hold".