Overview
Always dreamed of visiting the Mediterranean island of Sicily? Then you might want to bump it to the top of your post-COVID-19 travel plans. If you do, you could score some handy financial help — with the Sicilian government offering to cover some travel expenses once Italy is out of lockdown.
As first reported by The Times, the regional government is offering to pay a portion of flight costs and accommodation expenses — covering half the price of airfares to and from the island, and paying for one in every three hotel nights. It'll also stump up the entire cost for tickets to museums and archaeological sites, so that visitors can do plenty of sightseeing.
At present, few other details have been revealed, such as when it'll come into effect, when eager tourists will be able to start booking, who the scheme will apply to and where in the world you'll be able to fly in from. That said, when the plan is implemented, it'll be done via vouchers available from the Visit Sicily website — so you might want to bookmark it for future reference.
The Sicilian government will spend €50 million (AU$86.4 million) on the scheme to revive its tourism industry — which, with not only the country but most of the world enforcing restrictions to help contain the spread of COVID-19, has understandably taken a battering in recent months.
Italy has been in lockdown nationwide since Sunday, March 10, but announced on Sunday, April 26 that it would enter 'phase two' from Monday, May 4. That'll involve the slow easing of current restrictions, including allowing Italians to travel within their regions to visit relatives. Factories, parks and public gardens will also reopen, with museums, galleries, libraries and shops able to open their doors from Monday, May 18, then bars, restaurants and hairdressers from Monday, June 1.
For further details about the Sicilian government's tourism scheme, keep an eye on the Visit Sicily website.
Via The Times.