On Wednesday, Italy re-opened regional and international borders, representing the country’s progression into the final phase of its COVID-19 lockdown initiatives. Italy is the first European country to open international borders fully, ending the mandatory 14-day quarantine requirement for travelers. The move has drawn criticism for being premature, while others claim it was necessary to revive the collapsed tourism industry.
Although airports were busy compared to the previous several months, they remained lightly used despite the beginning of Italy’s national holiday on Tuesday that normally attracts crowds of people traveling to family and friends. This event also typically kicks off the country’s summer domestic tourism season. On Wednesday, the airport was scheduled to several thousands of passengers while last year on the same day it saw 110,000 passengers.
Read More: Italy opens borders ahead of neighbors, beckoning tourists
