Sicily offers to chip in for your holiday if you visit post-COVID-19

The beautiful harbour of Levanzo in Sicily.

Need an excuse to visit Italy’s most beautiful island once travel restrictions ease? How about if the destination foots a chunk of the bill?

Sicily’s regional government is sweetening the prospect of visiting the soccer-ball-shaped island by offering to subsidise holidays for both domestic and international visitors once restrictions are lifted.

Sicilian authorities announced €75 million ($125.6 million) has been allocated to give to tourists in the form of “vouchers or cards” as part of its €1.5 billion ($2.5 billion) Stability bill.

According to Forbes, Sicily has lost approximately $1.5 billion since COVID-19 restrictions hit, mostly due to lack of tourism.

Sicily’s tourist board director Manlio Messina told Italian media the government would buy services such as hotel nights from operators to give to tourists, adding that if they stay at least three nights they will get one free.

Other reports have suggested the funding could pay for half of a travellers airfare to visit the island, but this has not yet been confirmed.

Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

italy sicily

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