(by Cinzia Conti) (ANSA) - RIMINI, OCTOBER 15 - Conferences, negotiations, debates, books, music, shows, a great desire to talk and meet after 20 months of Zoom, e-mail and WhatsApp. If it were not for the ubiquitous masks and for the disinfectant gel that flows freely, it would seem to have returned to 2019 in the pavilions of the Rimini fair where the TTG Travel Experience ended, which together with the sister fairs SiaHospitality Design and Sun Beach & Outddor Style of ItalianExhibition Group, has made Rimini "capital" of Italian tourism with Saudi Arabia Country Partner. The TTG had also been there in 2020 but there was not (there could not be) this sparkling climate of expectation and desire to be reborn and start again.
Just as Simona Ventura shouted opening this edition: "We are the ones of the restart!".
Tourism Minister Massimo Garavaglia also walked through the confined pavilions of the fair and tried to instill confidence and promise the government's attention. In fact, if unostudio Isnart-Unioncamere presents the photograph of a recovering summer with + 30% admissions, the first 9 months of 2021 are still down by 40% on 2019. Garavaglia reassures: tourism has started to rise again and will reach the levels of 2019: "Indeed, it could even exceed 13% of the GDP it was worth in that year and reach 20%, all you need is trust and organization". And just as the doors were about to close comes the good news that the American administration is also reopening flights to the United States for European citizens who have completed the vaccination cycle. "It was a choice we had been waiting for a long time - comments Garavaglia - and in this way, the arrival of American tourists in Europe will also be favored. And, given that Italy is the preferred destination, an increase in the flow of travelers to our art cities is foreseeable ".
Along with this festive air, there was no lack of clear perception that there are still many problems on the table. The president of Federalberghi Bernabò Bocca points out, asking for targeted aid and no more rain, tax credit for hotel renovations, an increase in capacity for congresses and meetings and in taxation the removal of roofs and fixed costs. "2021 - says Bocca - is and will continue to be a complicated year, but we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We are positive about 2022, the theme, however, is to get there with companies that are still alive and 'retrained'". From incoming to outgoing tourism, the other burning problem has been that of organized tourism, which has been practically at a standstill for 20 months. The sector in 2019 had produced a turnover of 13.3 billion euros, up 4% on 2018.A sector that was healthy and vital and in 2020 "plummeted" to 3 billion and in 2021 it will probably barely reach 2.5 billion. And he chose the TTG to shout his pain loudly and compactly by bringing together all the main representatives of the associations of tour operators and agencies and a huge crowd of travel agents and employees on the same stage. The requests are to have immediate support, immediately certainty of the redundancy and immediately reopening of all the destinations to resume work and support themselves. The 'immediately' is the most important part, so that it does not happen, as explained by the president of Astoi Confindustria Pier Ezhaya, that the ambulance arrives "when the patient is now dead".And he chose the TTG to shout his pain loudly and compactly by bringing together all the main representatives of the associations of tour operators and agencies and a huge crowd of travel agents and employees on the same stage. The requests are to have immediate support, immediately certainty of the redundancy and immediately reopening of all the destinations to resume work and support themselves. The 'immediately' is the most important part, so that it does not happen, as explained by the president of Astoi Confindustria Pier Ezhaya, that the ambulance arrives "when the patient is now dead".And he chose the TTG to shout his pain loudly and compactly by bringing together all the main representatives of the associations of tour operators and agencies and a huge crowd of travel agents and employees on the same stage. The requests are to have immediate support, immediately certainty of the redundancy and immediately reopening of all the destinations to resume work and support themselves. The 'immediately' is the most important part, so that it does not happen, as explained by the president of Astoi Confindustria Pier Ezhaya, that the ambulance arrives "when the patient is now dead".The requests are to have immediate support, immediately certainty of the redundancy and immediately reopening of all the destinations to resume work and support themselves. The 'immediately' is the most important part, so that it does not happen, as explained by the president of Astoi Confindustria Pier Ezhaya, that the ambulance arrives "when the patient is now dead".The requests are to have immediate support, immediately certainty of the redundancy and immediately reopening of all the destinations to resume work and support themselves. The 'immediately' is the most important part, so that it does not happen, as explained by the president of Astoi Confindustria Pier Ezhaya, that the ambulance arrives "when the patient is now dead".
Great space is also given to accessible tourism which, as recalled by Roberto Vitali, great expert in accessible hospitality and CEO and co-founder of Village for All - V4A, concerns 127 million people including people with disabilities over 65, of which 10 million in Italy. And also food and wine tourism, especially that linked to wine and oil, had space in 4 events moderated by Roberta Garibaldi, who, at the very beginning of the fair, was appointed by the ministry as the new managing director of the Enit.
TTG, Sia and Sun close with 90% of the visits registered in the 2019 edition. There were 700 buyers from over 40 foreign countries (most in presence and in virtual matching for those from countries that would have requested long-haul flights).
Spread over 19 halls, with 1,800 brands, over 200 events, with more than 250 speakers on nine "Arenas" for 650 hours of discussion and information.
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