Qualitaly_118

AUG. SEP. 2020 X return to normal daily, so I want to stay positive. How do you see the future for the sector? Difficult, but it can be faced by those who have desire and passion for it. ______________________________ AT PAGE 30 IN THE RESTAURANT Holidays and catering: how to succeed In this anomalous summer, changes have affected the tourism sector. Despite everything, with commitment, resourcefulness and thanks to a lucky region like the Versilia area, the desire for the sea and good food remain in first place. by Maddalena Baldini After the first half of 2020, the social and economic situation in Italy is quite complex. Nothing new would be said, given how things have changed with the Coronavirus emergency to which the whole country and the whole world had to “succumb”. The healthcare crisis, the collapse of the GDP, the decrease in the workforce and activities are just some of the points blacked out by the report drawn up by ISTAT in early July. Unfortunately, as we are used to hearing like an uninterrupted chant, the healthcare crisis and the lockdown have triggered an economic and social decline that has affected all sectors, including tourism and catering. There are clear signs of fragility which are linked to a series of problems which, already in unsuspecting times, gripped the sector. In spite of everything, however, tourism firms want to focus on cohesion for a common benefit and want to make every effort to convey positivity and to show that the quality of accommodation remains high. Salvatore Madonna, owner of the Hotel Plaza in Viareggio and the Hotel Byron in Forte dei Marmi, both with renowned restaurants, both of which make the difference, especially in one of the most sought-after areas as Versilia can be. POWER TO THE ITALIANS “Quality is our strength. It is certainly not an easy period, but we are starting again from this key concept, regardless of any unforeseen events”. Madonna says immediately. “Summer came along with the difficulties that we know well, with a significant drop in hotel and restaurant activities compared to the previous year. The lack of foreign tourists was felt but, fortunately, we have always focused our work on a good mix of customers... To be clear, we have never neglected Italians to chase after foreigners more, we have always balanced and kept in balance the needs and manner of holidays of both categories, that’s why, despite everything, we have tried to give impetus to our work in such a complicated moment”. According to the first jokes of those who are in close contact with the public, you can perceive how much the choice of ‘holiday in Italy’ may have made the difference and how much it may have supported the individual facilities, hotels and restaurants in the first place. THE WEEKEND CLIENT But, in addition to the origin of the tourist who once sat (and still sits), we must also focus attention on the style of the holiday or the choice to eat at the restaurant, which has definitely changed in recent years and especially in this anomalous 2020. “This summer we experienced a tourism more linked to the weekend, even if the clientele was present during the week, even if with less numbers,” says Madonna, “certainly the weekend has represented (and will still represent) the period of time in which we have concentrated more even if, by vocation and possibility, all the requests we had in terms of security are implemented routinely. A classic example, the distance on the beach, which we have always applied thanks to the large spaces we use, just like in the restaurant: in the same way we did not run any risk and customers could enjoy lunch or dinner serenely keeping the necessary distance from the other tables”. NO PRICE INCREASE What has not changed is the attention that the structure has towards its customers, a basic aspect that focuses not on numbers but on the quality of service that every customer is entitled to receive. “Tourism bites and runs away is a reality that we have to deal with, this year more than ever,” continues Salvatore Madonna,” the economic crisis forces us to reduce costs, to reduce the number of days away from home but, not for this reason, customers have a different welcome, both in the restaurants Il Magnolia in Forte dei Marmi and in Lunasia in Viareggio”. Customers can appreciate all the aspects of attention and familiarity that are the basis of a good relationship of loyalty. “Our guests trust us... we are able to transmit security and this is one of our peculiarities. To the letter we carry out all the sanitization steps, we maintain the distances between one table and another and we have all the protective equipment,” the owner specifies then adds: “We weren’t intimidated and also in terms of costs we have invested (and we continue to do so): about 10% more than in previous seasons, precisely for the purchase of protective equipment, especially for employees. On the other hand, precisely to help customers who want to sit at restaurant tables or MAGAZINE