Italian tourist guides face poverty due to coronavirus crisis

Italy's tourism industry, which accounts for over 6% of the nation's workforce, has been profoundly affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Self-employed tour guides have seen all their bookings vanish due to the closure of museums across the country. According to Confturismo and Confcommercio, from March 1 to May 31, there were 31.625 million fewer tourists, resulting in €7 billion in losses. This crisis struck just as the peak season was beginning, and recovery is expected to take several months. Many guides are on the brink of poverty, struggling to meet basic living costs. On February 28, Minister Franceschini convened with trade associations to address the tourism sector's challenges. Although the government has offered general support, it falls short of what is needed. Guides are burdened by high taxes (32-40%) without any benefits and face unfair competition from illegal operators, highlighting the need for government action.