- Online editorial team FOCUS / dpa
Italian beach resorts plan high-season strikes. Tenants protest EU directive on beach re-tender.
Italian beach resorts are planning strikes in the middle of the high season. They are initially scheduled to close for two and a half hours on Friday morning. If the closures continue, half-day closures will follow in mid-August and full-day closures at the end of the month. Tenants are protesting against an EU directive in force for nearly 20 years that requires new tenders for state concessions for stretches of public beach.
Most of the Italian beaches belong to the State
Italian beaches are mostly state-owned, but have been rented to private operators for decades. They generate a high income with relatively low rental costs. According to the Center for European Policy, the annual income of beach establishments amounts to an average of 260,000 euros per pool. Antonio Capacchione, president of the Italian Beach Resort Union, criticizes the government’s inaction: “The government has done nothing for two years.”
Italy wants to avoid foreign tenants
Until now, Italy has primarily wanted to keep foreigners away from the management of beach areas. An example is the Gulf of Trieste, where two years ago Red Bull secured 120,000 square meters of coastline. From January 2025, concessions will again be put out to tender at a national level. This prospect is causing great dissatisfaction among beach operators.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns against travel to Italy
But it is not only the strike that could ruin a trip to Italy for holidaymakers at this time. Because currently Farnesina warns against travel to some regions of Southern Italy due to drought and water shortages. Sicily is particularly affected, with cities such as Catania, Palermo, Taormina and Mondello, for which the highest red alert level applies. “There is a significant water shortage,” the office writes on its website.
In addition to Sicily, Umbria, Lazio and Sardinia are also at high risk of drought. The situation can only improve with sufficient rainfall. Vacationers should inform themselves about the current situation before traveling.
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