The European Tour Operators Association (ETOA) issued a statement on April 3 welcoming the passage of laws by the Italian government liberalizing many aspects of the economy, including “tourist guides and tour escorts”.
Tom Jenkins, Executive Director, ETOA said: “This is tremendous news for the tourism industry. We have campaigned against restrictive practices in Italy ever since the association was established 18 years ago. It now looks as though clients will be free to listen to whomever they want.”
Using laws dating back to the 1930’s, anyone addressing a tourist had to be an
“official” guide, accredited by the local authority. This has meant that
teachers, university lecturers, ministers and guides from outside Italy were
gagged. Many companies had to resort to using locally qualified guides as
“silent escorts.”
If a tour leader escorted his or her group of people around the centre of Florence,Perugia, Rome, Sienna, Venice or various other popular Italian tourist destinations, he or she risked arrest and an on the spot fine but this is now set to change. Whilst this does not mean the immediate end of restrictive guiding monopolies -because that will require the passage of local laws in Italy’s twenty regions – it does mark the beginning of the end.
Report by Chitra Mogul
