05.14.2020

Should Europe Reopen for Summer Tourism?

Italy’s prime minister, Giuseppe Conte is threatening to leave the EU altogether if the bloc pushes ahead with its plans for a partial summer tourist season. Some countries are taking steps to reopen borders, but the stakes are high amidst fears of a second wave. Conte is opposed in his view by Italy’s former prime minister–and current EU Economy Commissioner–Paolo Gentiloni, who joins the show.

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CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: Can I just ask you, there seems to be a bit of a, you know, a sort of a battle between yourself and the current Italian prime minister. He says he`s going to pull out of the block if you continue to push this idea that there will be a summer tourist season in Europe. How is that going to work out?

GENTILONI: No, I think, definitely, we will have a summer season, tourist season in Europe. We will have it for sure, also in Italy, which is one of the most attractive country in Europe for tourism. For sure, it will not be the same tourism that we experienced in past years, because tourism will have to keep some measures of social distancing that we have learned in the last couple of months. But this doesn`t mean that we will not have tourism. What is at stake, I think, is one of the main industries in Europe and I think that inevitably, this industry will lose parts of its revenues this year, but the summer season is something that — not only the industry, but European citizens strongly want. And the commission will fight to avoid any discrimination among member states and gradually, the reopening, the returning of a normal situation at our borders.

About This Episode EXPAND

Christiane speaks with former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf about the importance of international unity in fighting a virus. She also speaks with European Commissioner for Economy Paolo Gentiloni about whether Europe should open for the summer and Dr. Boris Lushniak, former U.S. Acting Surgeon General. Walter Isaacson speaks with Sarah Lewis about the power of photography.

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