Coronavirus, tour guides and escorts haven't taken a euro for two months. So we don't survive

Tour guides and tour leaders are among the professionals most affected by the coronavirus. They have been on zero income for two months now, and through Federagit, the Italian Federation of Tourist Guides, Escorts and Interpreters, they let it be known that this way the category will not be able to survive for long: support is needed because this is “the most difficult time in their history,” as Valentina Grandi, president of Federagit, lets it be known.

“For years now,” Grandi points out, “the category has been in a precarious situation. Not only has the law to reorganize the profession never arrived, but there has also been a lack of controls by the bodies in charge to curb the rampant squatting in the sector. We have always pulled through, but now everything is more difficult: as of today, in fact, job prospects are totally zero and will be for many months to come, as the tourism sector (likely) will not recover before 2021. Those of us with VAT numbers are seriously thinking of closing down.”

It is therefore necessary to take action now, according to Grandi: “We cannot wait another few months. We have put down on paper a series of requests, addressed to the government, for targeted support measures: first of all, the recognition of an allowance, at least 1,000 euros, for tourism freelancers with a VAT number. For colleagues working on withholding tax, on the other hand, we ask for emergency income to be allocated.”

“To maintain what little liquidity is left,” Federagit’s president concludes, “it is also necessary to act on the fiscal level. We need full defiscalization throughout 2020, the disapplication of ISAs and the non-application of penalties for late tax payments. Guides and tour leaders should also be exempted from paying social security and welfare contributions throughout 2020, but without losing the year for pension purposes. Then we must work on the revitalization of international tourism, which for us necessarily passes through a framework law for tourism professions to protect employment in our sector. For the revitalization of Italian tourism we propose to recognize as a ’deductible charge’ 19 percent of the value of the guide service, with no spending limit.”

Coronavirus, tour guides and escorts haven't taken a euro for two months. So we don't survive

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.