Caputi: ‘Tourism needs a medium- to long-term industrial strategy’

A medium- to long-term industrial strategy capable of supporting investment, competitiveness, innovation, employment and business growth. Yesterday saw a meeting of Federturismo’s senior leadership, representing the entire Italian tourism industry within Confindustria, with the discussion focusing on the transformations currently taking place in the market and the need to support them with structural policies and tools suited to this new phase of the complex tourism industry. Indeed, Federturismo is no longer calling for emergency interventions or temporary measures as in the past, but rather a medium- to long-term industrial strategy capable of supporting investment, competitiveness, innovation, employment and business growth. Among the priorities identified are regulatory and administrative simplification, through measures that reduce the time and red tape for businesses, the establishment of a genuine supply-chain agreement, capable of linking businesses, local areas, infrastructure and investment, and strengthening the competitiveness of the entire tourism ecosystem; and measures for the revaluation of business assets. Furthermore, the discussion focused in particular on so-called ‘new forms of tourism’, a phenomenon that is profoundly changing demand, consumption, travel patterns and supply models, which requires a qualitative leap in public policies.

“Tourism has changed and is now a true national industry, and tourism policies must change just as quickly,” said Massimo Caputi, president of Federturismo Confindustria. “New forms of tourism” are not a passing fad, but a snapshot of an industry that is evolving rapidly. Today we have the opportunity to transform this evolution into structural growth, but we need simpler rules, clear timelines and tools capable of supporting investment. We must move away from the mindset of ad hoc measures towards a genuine industrial policy for tourism,” emphasised Caputi. Simplification must become a national priority, and the sectoral agreement must be one of the tools for building a more integrated, competitive system capable of attracting capital. If we want tourism to continue creating value and jobs, we must put businesses in a position to invest and innovate. Tourism does not ask for privileges: it asks for the conditions to compete.’

The meeting confirmed Federturismo Confindustria’s commitment to strengthening dialogue with the Government and other institutions in order to establish a comprehensive framework of measures to support the tourism industry through this new phase of development, whilst maximising the sector’s potential to generate economic growth, employment and enhance the country’s international appeal.