«Sardinia today is one of the safest destinations in the world», said Mario Ferraro CEO of Smeralda Holding in an interview with MF-Milano Finanza published on 20 May by Angela Zoppo, ‘Here there has been a very low incidence of Covid cases, and there are no longer any infections. Social distancing is almost a natural factor, with the spaces available> «Reopening borders, including the extra-Schengen ones, to bring tourists back to Sardinia and save the saving of the summer season now at the gates. »>> The appeal of Mario Ferraro, vice president of Confindustria Centro Nord Sardegna with delegation to tourism and CEO of Smeralda Holding (100% Qatar Holding), which owns the hotels Cala di Volpe, Romazzino, Pitrizza and Cervo, the Marina of Porto Cervo, a shipyard, the Pevero Golf Club and other assets, including shops, restaurants and land on the coast.
«Sardinia today is one of the safest destinations in the world», explains Ferraro at MF-Milano Finanza, «here there has been a very low incidence of cases of Covid, and there are no more infections.Social distancing is almost a natural factor, with space available. Yet we risk seeing the turnover of tourism fall by 60-70%». Some numbers: in 2019 the number of tourists in Sardinia was 15.8 million, an increase of 5% compared to 2018.With Americans, Russians and Middle East, mostly French, British and Germans arrive, in addition to the Italians themselves. I fear that before September we will not see American tourists on our beaches, but in the meantime we must reopen the borders, as before the Covid emergency. I don’t believe in safe corridors. It is good that the government on 3 June opens the borders with the Schengen countries: for others, it is better to think of progressive openings based on epidemiological curves. Only in this way can restrictions be avoided: the more we impose, the fewer tourists will come».
The reference is also to the health passport proposed by Governor Christian Solinas, «impossible on a practical level», according to the CEO of Smeralda Holding, «because you can not do tampons privately, and on such a large scale». What to do then? Meanwhile, the group is about to launch the campaign «Costa Smeralda, 96% of unspoilt land», which wants to draw attention to both natural beauty and the near absence of the virus. As for the decree Re-launch, Ferraro married the line of Federalberghi: some measures are good, but it will serve more. But if you will restart tourism can also go well. Otherwise, if you do not reopen the borders immediately the entire tourism sector will not survive the crisis, and then much more will be needed».
Source: Smeraldaholding