Tour guides to government: "reopen museums on weekends too!"

The tour guides of AGTA - Associazione Guide Turistiche Abilitate (Association of Licensed Tourist Guides ) are back in the news on the issue of the reopening of museums, which according to the association is only partly good news, due to the fact that the reopening, as per the dpcm of January 14, was granted only on weekdays. Therefore, the cultural sites remain closed on weekends and holidays (as well as, of course, in the evenings, given the continuing curfew). There is anger, discouragement, and disappointment on the part of Isabella Ruggiero, AGTA president, who takes a stand again after the harsh words of January and explains, “First of all, it should be emphasized that the reopening concerns only some cities and only some sites. While in Rome the majority of museums have adhered, in Venice the Civic Museums (which also include the Doge’s Palace) continue to be closed by decision of the Foundation of the same name and Mayor Brugnaro. In the same way, all the major monuments in Ravenna, which belong to the Diocese; and in Parma, the Piazza Duomo complex, remain closed due to the (legitimate) decision of the various bodies in charge. And so in many other cities in Italy.”

“Secondly,” Ruggiero continues, “where the reopening takes place, it is only from Monday to Friday. And of course certainly not in the evening. Without foreign tourism, which is nonexistent at the moment, and without Italian tourism, which is made impossible by the ban on travel between regions, and finally without even school tourism, which is still blocked, only residents and inhabitants of neighboring municipalities can enjoy the museums; all people who generally work on weekdays. Who then is such opening aimed at? Reopening only Monday through Friday makes it extremely difficult for the public to visit and guided tours almost impossible. In all these months, among the approximately 25,000 guides throughout Italy, only a very small percentage have been able to conduct any tours: the guides (often organized in cultural associations) who organize tours for residents and traditionally conduct them on Saturdays and Sundays.”

“Evidently,” the AGTA president surmises, “we will have to continue to offer outside tours and walks, since museums are as if they do not exist on the only days when people might go there. We are sorry to see that, in the total inactivity of 25,000 people, we are not even trying to encourage a minimum of recovery with logical and common-sense choices that could activate local and proximity tourism. It is no coincidence that the Vatican Museums, which had already distinguished themselves last year with an intelligent reopening strategy, favoring visits as much as possible while fully complying with health regulations, have decided to open Monday through Saturday (they have traditionally been closed on Sundays anyway). Already several guides in Rome are offering guided tours of the Romans on upcoming Saturday dates. Not to forget that there is less traffic on weekends, so opening Saturday and Sunday would help distribute the flows. And that all museums are quotaed anyway, so there is no danger of crowds (although it seems ridiculous to even point that out).”

“We are happy that cultural places are reopened, regardless of the consideration of who can enter them,” Ruggiero concludes. “Because they constitute the cultural heritage of the nation and of humanity and as such they should be able to be enjoyed. They belong to all citizens and should be able to be opened for study, interest, or even just for the love of beauty, art and history. However, it makes no sense that once the reopening is finally decided, it is scheduled on the wrong days when, anyone understands, almost no one at the moment can enjoy it. Also because all this has costs, for the concessionaires who run the sites and especially for the state, which does not make money from tickets. So these are choices that also penalize the public coffers. We ask that the rules be changed as soon as possible and that there be a shift to opening from Fridays to Saturdays, if for the whole week it is not possible: better these 3 days rather than 5 weekdays.”

Tour guides to government: "reopen museums on weekends too!"

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