We should follow the example of other countries to resolve the crisis in the hotel industry

Dear editor,

I read with concern, and a hint of anger, the articles about the crisis in the hotel industry, following interviews with professionals working in this sector.

For several years, until 2004, I was the chairman of Varese’s municipal tourist board, and had the opportunity to take part personally in what, at the time, were the eternal discussions about the future of tourism in our province.

Ten years have passed since then, and I still hear the same things.

Spending several months abroad for work and conferences, I learned, as a customer, what it meant to do tourism, and even back then, I tried to spread these values in our territory, too.

And yet, it seems that nobody cares about change or learning from others how tourism should be done.

I don’t want to pass judgement, I would just like to ask people to “visit” the hotels in the region, as simple tourists, and then say what they think.

Their assessments should be made after they have also visited some hotels of a similar level, in Switzerland, in the Tyrol, or in any tourist areas they know. That way, we’ll discover that the crisis must be overcome by improving accommodation services, with a smile, and with the professionalism and welcome of the “master of the house”. I do not mean to say that all accommodation facilities in Varese and around the province are inadequate, quite the opposite, but there is still a lot of work to be done, because “creating a network” means operating in an industry in which everyone moves in the same way, otherwise it won’t work. Of course, the same goes for the price-quality ratio as well, for both hotels and restaurants.

I often read the comments of tourists passing through, and discover (no wonder) their disappointment over not being allowed into a restaurant after 9.30 pm, or over receiving a glass of milk and a packaged snack for breakfast.

We live in one of the most charming places in Italy; can we not make tourists just passing through fall in love with it?

PS

A tourist is also someone who passes through, who visits and sets off again. If we are good enough, this short stop will lead to a return for a longer stay.