Coronavirus in Italy

Roman Holiday: Rome mayor invites Italians to vacation in capital

21 May, 2020

Italian premier calls on Italians to take staycation in Italy.

Rome mayor Virginia Raggi has invited Italians to spend their summer holidays in the capital - which she described as "a safe city" - as Italy's battered tourism industry begins to reopen after the coronavirus emergency.

"Come to Rome, we are waiting for you with open arms," Raggi said during an interview with RadioRock, reports Italian news agency ANSA.

Calling on to Italians to vacation in their capital, "even if the borders are reopened," Raggi said the city's tourism sector has been in trouble since February with the collapse of the international market.

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Raggi said the solution to emerging from the crisis lay in getting the message out that Rome is a safe city, whose restaurants and bars are reopening, and by promoting this image abroad.

The mayor's comments on 21 May coincided with a call by the Italian premier Giuseppe Conte for Italians to spend their summer holidays in Italy to discover and revisit the country's beauty spots, to help "relaunch the nation."