The summer of 2021 was that of rebirth for Venice, even if the so-called big spenders, i.e. Americans, Russians and Asians, are still missing. And even if there is concern for autumn-winter, with the risk of a fourth wave of Covid which would compromise the continuity of the recovery right at the climax, when even the Film Festival is back in attendance (1-11 September) and it helps to give fresh breath to lagoon tourism. At least these are the considerations of Renato Costantini, director of the legendary Caffè Florian in Piazza San Marco, the oldest bar in the world (since 1720) located under the arcades of the Procuratie Nuove: “We reopened in May and at first it went like this, but in July and August there was a very marked recovery. In 2020 we had halved customers compared to 2019, but this summer we only had 15-20% fewer. But now we need to see how September will go, which is usually better in Venice than August”.
Doctor Costantini, is this year a positive summer for Caffè Florian and for the city?
“Yes, even if now everything will depend on the evolution of the pandemic. Unfortunately, in the last two years we have gotten used to living day by day, we cannot make predictions. The month of September will be important, during which we usually work more than in August".
Does the return of the Venice Film Festival help?
“Certainly yes, but we don't expect attendance at the levels of 2019. Let's say that this edition will be somewhere between 2020 and 2019, also because there will still be a lack of extra-continental tourists, from North America and Asia, who usually spend more, they stay for several days and for holidays, regardless of the Festival, they come to Venice in September".
Italians and Europeans, however, take their holidays rather between July and August and apparently they have returned to the Lagoon.
“Yes, this was the summer of proximity tourism, we had many Italians, then Austrians, Germans, French. We can't complain, even if this is a more hit-and-run clientele, they stay for fewer days and spend less".
Has the average receipt dropped that much without the American and Asian big spenders?
“Actually not that much. At Caffè Florian the pre-Covid average was 40 euros per person, today we are around 35 euros".
Where, specifically, do the tourists who spend the most come from?
“I would say North Americans, Russians, and Asians in general. Chinese, Japanese but also Koreans”.
For Venice, the pandemic was also an opportunity to reconsider its tourist future. What is your opinion of the decision, for example, to limit access to large cruise ships?
“It's a correct choice. The ships have always brought many customers, but unfortunately of low quality. I mean that these are large groups, which invade a fragile city like Venice, spend little or nothing on hotels and restaurants and penalize residents and other tourists. I believe that giving up those income brings more benefits than harm because the city thus becomes more attractive for tourists who are really interested in discovering and respecting it”.
And what about Venice with limited numbers?
“It's being talked about and I agree. I don't really like the idea of turnstiles, but regulating access, perhaps through reservations, would be the right choice. The idea of charging an entrance ticket is also right: today those who stay overnight already pay their 4 euro tourist tax, but it should also be introduced for the many hit-and-run travellers”.
