Italy has been waiting for the past three months for this moment. Today, Italy reopens to travelers from Europe. The tourism industry has been very hard hit from the coronavirus lockdown, so hopes are high that tourism will bounce back as the summer season begins.
Venice’s canals have gondolas ready, Verona’s famed balcony is ready for “Romeo and Juliet” lovers, and Rome’s Colosseum is ready for gladiator fans. But, there are still fears that foreign tourist will avoid Italy as is comes out of the pandemic.
Italy officially reported more than 33,000 deaths from the pandemic. The lockdown began in March and has devastated business throughout the country. Italy is still reported new cases every day, but the worst appears to be over.
International flights are expected to resume in three cities: Milan, Rome and Naples. People that usually come in by car, train or ferry from neighboring countries may have to go elsewhere on their holidays. For example, Switzerland has warned its citizens that they may be subject to “health measures” on their return from Italy.
Visitors to Italy from Europe will not be required to quarantine unless they have recently traveled from another continent.