Italy to Allow Entry of Foreign Tourists from Next Month on the 3rd... Quarantine Period Also Removed

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The Italian government announced that starting from the 3rd of next month, tourists arriving from countries within the European 'Schengen Agreement' will be allowed to enter without a 14-day self-quarantine period. This move is seen as a response to the deepening economic crisis caused by the collapse of the tourism industry ahead of the summer vacation season.

According to foreign media including the AP News on the 16th (local time), the Italian government held a cabinet meeting and announced an administrative order to reopen borders and completely lift movement restrictions for its citizens starting from the 3rd of next month. Tourists coming from Schengen Agreement member countries, which guarantee freedom of movement for people and goods within Europe, can freely enter Italy without a 14-day self-quarantine. Italian citizens can also freely travel to and from Schengen Agreement countries.

This measure is interpreted as reflecting both the assessment that the threat of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) has subsided and the policy intention to reactivate tourism ahead of the summer vacation season. Tourism accounts for more than 13% of Italy's total economy, and since the COVID-19 crisis has brought the tourism industry to a standstill, Italy's economic crisis is considered very severe.

Despite Italy's reopening, neighboring countries such as Switzerland and Austria remain hesitant to open their borders with Italy, so it is uncertain how much the influx of foreign tourists will be revitalized.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.