Italy braces for record influx of tourists but struggles to cope | Wilnesh News

Bellagio, Lake Como, Italy — Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce performed in Tremezzo two weeks ago after wrapping up their concert series in Paris Stay at Villa Sola Cabiati in Tremezzo.

“Sometimes there’s traffic and you can’t move,” our driver told us. He makes a living driving tourists up and down the lake to its famous mountain vistas and 19th-century villas such as Villa del Balbianello, where Casino Royale and part of Star Wars: Episode II were filmed.

He considers himself lucky because he is a gondolier: he sympathizes with the poor tourists who rent cars or try to find an elusive taxi.

“Sometimes, 10 kilometers (about 6 miles) can take an hour,” he said, noting that the narrow two-lane road cannot handle not only the traffic, but also the large cars that are moving. “Traffic in many towns can only go in one direction, so everyone has to wait,” he said.

Can’t live with them, can’t live without them

Italy has fallen into a jealous trap: it cannot survive without tourists, but it is having trouble coping with the influx of tourists, especially in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Sixty million tourists flocked to the country last year, injecting huge amounts of money into the economy. According to Statista, travel and tourism will account for 10.2% of Italy’s GDP by 2022. The industry employs approximately 4.4 million people, accounting for approximately 16% of total employment.

The problem of “too many tourists” seems to be one that a country would like to have, but in recent years tourist overcrowding has become so severe that Italian authorities have had to take measures to avoid damaging centuries-old buildings that cannot cope with tourists. cause damage. Venice, for example, charges a €5 entrance fee for day-trippers who don’t stay overnight.

Want to see Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” in Milan? Good luck: tickets sell out weeks in advance, and to avoid irreparable damage to the painting, visitors are limited to around 30 people at a time for a maximum of 15 minutes.

Not only are there too many tourists, but there aren’t enough people to serve them.

The Italian Association of Employment Agencies (Assolavoro) pointed out that there is a shortage of workers in the hotel and beach industries this summer, and the number of tourists is expected to reach a new record. Marche lacks chefs and waiters. Sardinia needs approximately 25,000 seasonal workers.

Is Italy cheap? Not exactly, but there’s a lot of value

The food is still surprisingly cheap, at least compared to New York prices. In Milan, an hour away, you can get an espresso for just 1 euro (about $1.10). Croissants cost two or three euros.

At the famous Trattoria Milanese restaurant in the heart of Milan, hearty servings of two of Milan’s most famous dishes, veal Milanese and veal risotto Milanese, only cost around $30 to $35 each, and can be found much cheaper in Milan. Less famous attractions. A good local wine can be purchased for $20 to $30 in a restaurant or $10 in a supermarket.

Even Milan’s famous bars aren’t great. At Camparino in the Galleria, one of the palaces of Italian cocktail culture, you can get a Negroni or an aperitif for $20, prepared by a ridiculously handsome 25-year-old waiter in formal attire for the well-dressed crowd. , head to La Scala for an opera night.

The crowds of tourists mean booking is difficult. On Lake Como, the Veranda restaurant at Villa D’Este, one of George Clooney’s favorite spots, is still almost impossible to book (if you are lucky enough to find one, be sure to be there: no-shows are charged) per 100 euros per person).

Clooney himself lived down the street at Villa Oleandra, which was the filming location for his movie Ocean’s Twelve.

Of course, if you really want to hang out with A-listers, there are no bargains. The famous Villa La Cassinella on the lake is yours for €100,000 per week. A wedding at Villa Balbiano might cost €320,000, but we’re talking about 110 people for 3 days. The same 110 wedding guests at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo will cost 250,00-500,000 euros.

Want to call an Uber? forget it

Not only is it hard to book, but it’s also hard to get a cab to get there. Or anywhere.

There’s something of a fascination with sharing the phone numbers of reliable private taxi drivers in Lake Como, where the roads are so narrow and congested, taxis are few and far between, and even short trips must be booked in advance.

Even in Milan, traveling is difficult, so I hired a taxi driver to pick us up from the airport for two days. What confuses me is that the only options for Uber are overpriced black cars.

When I mentioned Uber, my driver flew into a rage.

“These people are trying to take away the taxi driver’s job,” he screamed. “They took my job. Politicians are paid to be allowed into the country.” He plans to join other taxi drivers on strike next week.

He has nothing to worry about.

Travel writer Rick Steves reported to readers last year: “Since 2015, the Uber service you’re familiar with in North America – driving your own car privately – has been illegal in Italy.

“Only licensed taxi and limousine drivers can provide this service. So, Uber does offer a service in Italy (called Uber Black, Uber Van), but when you order a ride with Uber, you have An official black limousine driver with a limousine license will be present, so the price will be higher than a regular taxi,” Steve advises.

Much higher. Uber wanted 100 euros to give me a ride less than a mile (10 minutes) in the center of Milan. I paid the taxi driver 170 euros for five hours.

Still, standing in front of the Last Supper, even for 15 minutes, provides a sublime experience that makes all the trouble worth it.

I’m glad it only lasted 15 minutes. I had to go out and make a reservation at the restaurant we were going to that night and make sure I had a taxi to get there. Being a tourist in Italy is becoming a full-time job.