Genoa. It’s a bridge of the immaculate two-faced for those who live on tourism. On the one hand Genoa, where hotels register an occupancy rate of around 60% and look at Christmas And New Year’s with renewed optimism. On the other the Tigulliowith many structures closed to mitigate the consequences of expensive energy e very few visitors in those that remained openeven if some positive signs come from bookings for the next few weeks.

“This festive bridge will be nothing exceptional, but between Christmas and New Year we will do very well – predicts Gianluca Faziolapresident of Federalberghi Genoa -. We expect above all Italians. The city looks beautiful to me alive, there will beMediaset event which will bring some exposure. November was a good month, in line with the pre-pandemic numbers, and we also record good numbers in December. People still have a great desire to move and fortunately the identification has not yet had a significant impact on tourism. Of course, the issue of costs that we face remains open and leaves us not very calm”.

Moving on the Riviera the music changes radically. “This bridge is not going well, on the contrary – he says Aldo Werdin, president of Federalberghi Liguria and entrepreneur rooted in Tigullio -. There are many closed hotels, but the open ones were thought to fill up. Instead average we have 20-30% occupied roomswhile in previous years it reached 70%”.

What happened? “If it’s on the Riviera bad weather and there is nothing to do it is clear that tourists, especially high-end ones, preferred as destinations Courmayeur or the European capitals. And then in the past there was a larger congress market, there were more corporate meetings. We now rely only on accountants and second home owners undergoing renovations. The question is almost non-existent“. Those who have opted for the winter closure can at least stem the losses: “It was a decision taken immediately without thinking about it. The costs to be faced are too high, not only for energy but also for goods such as food and toilet paper. And so many are resorting to layoffs and unemployment benefits”.

One is expected for New Year’s partial recovery also in the localities of the Levant: “Some structures – continues Werdin – will open around December 27th to close again on January 6th. He’s booking some foreigner, especially Swiss and French, but we are talking about percentages below 10%. This year there is a lot of snow in the mountains and many will go skiing instead of going to the beach”.

Apart from the greater appeal of cities in the winter period, it seems to make the difference the offer in terms of events and culture. I prove it too data released by the Municipality of Genoa: on 8 December, the museums and exhibitions recorded around 2,500 admissions, a thousand just for the three Palazzo Ducale exhibitions with Rubens in Genoa. In civic museums, attendance doubled compared to 8 December 2021. The national museums of Palazzo Reale and Galleria di Palazzo Spinola are also recording percentages of growth compared to 2019. The data of accesses to IATs, over 550, is more than flattering.

“Genoa is a lively city and we saw it in Piazza De Ferrari, crowded with Genoese and tourists for the switching on of the Christmas tree and lights – comments the Councilor for Tourism Alexandra whites – In the Iat offices we doubled the accesses compared to 8 December 2019, therefore pre-Covid: a figure that confirms that the city has recovered and is recording better performances than in the pre-pandemic years. The premises are all there because as the European capital of Christmas, Genoa will be able to welcome the many tourists who will come to visit it with an offer of entertainment in the square and not only until after New Year’s Eve”.

Offer that is lacking on the Riviera, according to hoteliers: “Something more can certainly be done – he observes Werdin -. The proceeds of the tourist tax should mainly be invested in the low season. Instead of spending a lot of money in July and August, why not organize cultural events, perhaps in October, November or January? This would make it possible to apply the tourist tax throughout the year, not just in the low season. You need something cultural and sporting, not the usual children’s parties“.

“I would like the awareness that tourism is a fundamental component of the country’s economy, therefore of the region and of the city, to be the real step forward from a political point of view – he concludes Faziola -. For 2023 I hope that we will be able to make a good investment in culture with the proceeds of the tourist tax. Tourists must go beyond the Aquarium and our museums must become a shopping moment for the city. We are still quite far away, but we are optimistic”.