Coronavirus: -4.5 bn in tourist spending

(ANSA) - Rome, February 4 - The coronavirus could hit incoming Italian tourist business by as much as 4.5 billion euros this year, the Istituto Demoskopika research agency said Tuesday.
    This would be equal to around 5% of the sector's gross domestic product, the survey said.
    Some 70% of the potential losses, Demoskopika said, would be concentrated in four regional tourist systems: Veneto, Tuscany, Lazio and Lombardy.
    These four regions would account for 3.2 billion euros of the losses, it said.
    The CNA Turismo tourist group said Rome hotels would be hit by losses to the tune of 30%.
    "Cancellations of bookings by Chinese tourists, added to those of travelers from south east Asia and countries adjacent to China, will bring significant losses for the Roman receptive system, estimated as around 30% of their turnover," said CNA Turismo Roma President Marco Misischia.
    "These ar tough times for Roman hoteliers who as well as having to deal with a far from easy period have to cope with the coronavirus emergency".
    The Italian fashion sector will be hit by 1.5%-1.8% in the first quarter, Camera della Moda head Carlo Capasa said.
    "The sector is being hit by a very strong slowdown from China," he said.