New Corona Tourist guide appeals for support in Italy 7:23 on June 10

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In Europe, the tourism industry, which is a major industry, has restarted in various places, as the spread of the new coronavirus has been suppressed. However, in Italy, tourists are not returning and tourist guides are protesting to the government to continue their support, raising concerns about the future.

In Europe, hotels and tourist facilities have resumed operations one after another before the summer vacation season, rushing to rebuild the major industry of tourism.

Of these, Italy has decided to lift immigration restrictions from EU member states from 3rd of this month, but many airlines connecting with other countries have not resumed and tourists have not returned. .

Against this backdrop, tourist guides gathered in the capital Rome, Venice and Florence on the 9th to complain about the lack of work and protest the government to continue their support.

In Italy, free-lance people such as tourist guides are provided with JPY 70,000 or more per month, but it has been discontinued until the end of last month.

Participants expressed a sense of crisis as "like a job."

Also, an Italian woman who is guiding in Japanese said, "Rome is empty now and I am sad because there are no Japanese or other tourists. I want you to come back."

In Europe, there is growing concern about the future, as some people think that it will take time for people's traffic to recover, as they are wary that the infection will spread again.

Local Japanese guides are in trouble

In Italy, tourists from Japan have been cut off by the influence of the new coronavirus, and local Japanese guides are also in a difficult situation.

Rie Niitsu, who lives in Milan, northern Italy, has been providing interpreters and guidance to tourists from Japan and business travelers from Japan for about 20 years.

When I was busy, I had only a few days off a month, but due to the new coronavirus, since March this year, customers from Japan have been cut off and I have no income at all.

The Italian government has received about 70,000 yen in Japanese yen to be paid to freelance people, but he says that it is not enough to cover living expenses.

Furthermore, it is feared that tourists will return to Japan soon, and I am worried that the government cannot expect further support until then.

Mr. Niitsu said, "I sometimes feel uncertain about what to do if the customers do not come back for a long time, or what happens if the government does not support it, but I try to think positively. I love the work of guides. But I also want to think about other ways to earn income."