Virus still affects holiday travel plans in Italy

Italy's travel and tourism industry continues to be affected by the coronavirus pandemic as the majority of Italians stay home for New Year's for the second year in a row.

The period after Christmas is usually devoted to trips with family and friends.

However, according to Confcommercio (Italian General Confederation of Enterprises, Professions and Self-Employment), out of the 25 million trips already booked by Italians a few months ago, 5 million had been cancelled.

This year, about 13 million fewer Italians are going to travel abroad compared to 2019, the year before the pandemic broke, the business associations said.

"The season is not going well, without any doubt," says Stefano Corbari, president of FIAVET Lazio, a trade union that represents tourism companies such as tour operators and travel agencies in Italy.

Corbari said many cancellations had come following the emergence of the omicron variant.

Italy has not been alone in facing travel uncertainty.

Thousands of flights have been cancelled on Monday and over the last weekend, especially in the U.S. and in China, because of the variant believed to be more transmissible driving up infection rates.

According to FIAVET, travel agencies and tour operator revenues in Italy shrank by 75-70% in 2021 compared to 2019.

Despite the New Year festivities Chiara Gelso, a travel agent in Rome, says she sold just one trip for the holiday.

"It's a breath of fresh air, but it is not enough, we have been at a standstill for more than a year and a half now," she says.