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Capri, situated on the Bay of Naples in the Campania region, is often known as a favorite destination for high-end travelers. But this year, instead of advertising luxury hotels with stunning sea views, officials delivered a simpler but far more successful message: all residents of the island have been vaccinated and the island is "COVID-19 free," according to Vincenzo De Luca, the head of the Campania region.
"We are preparing to welcome millions of tourists, and we want to prevent them from going to Spain or Greece for holidays. Now, the most important thing is not to waste time. The hotel industry must make a decision in May, otherwise we will lose an entire tourist season," De Luca said in a speech on May 8th.
Capri is known as a luxury resort island.
Capri's mayor, Marino Lembo, said that 80% of the island's 15,000 residents had received their first dose of the vaccine. By mid-May, all tourism workers from outside the island, but who regularly visit Capri, had also been vaccinated.
"This is a very strong message we want to send to the whole world – You can come here in complete safety," said Mr. Lembo.
Sergio Gargiulo, president of Federalberghi, an association representing around 60 hotels on the island, agreed: "Capri is not only free of Covid-19, but for customers who need it, we can arrange PCR testing and provide results promptly upon departure."
In 2020, the island's tourism industry saw a 70% drop in revenue due to the pandemic. That was a devastating figure for a place as heavily reliant on tourism as Capri. But authorities believe the island has much to offer visitors, especially during periods of social distancing.
Luigi Esposito, a guide specializing in outdoor excursions on the island, said: "Even guests of 5-star hotels enjoy walking. I take them to discover the island's hidden gems," he said. Esposito just had a tour group booked for September. This is his first tour-leading opportunity after nearly two years of unemployment due to Covid-19.
Capri isn't the only island pushing ahead with its vaccination campaign before summer. Its neighbor, Procida, in the Bay of Naples, completed all vaccinations a few days before Capri. It will become Italy's Capital of Culture in 2022. Similarly, Ischia, also in the Bay of Naples, is also nearing completion of its nationwide vaccination program.
The Italian government has authorized the acceleration of a mass vaccination plan for the small islands.
Currently, all travelers to Italy must quarantine for a minimum of five days, but with the upcoming travel pass, the self-quarantine requirement will be waived for travelers who have been vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19 in the past six months. As of May 10th, more than 24 million doses of vaccine have been administered, equivalent to 12% of the population.
