The recent measure banning tourist buses on the Amalfi Coast, initially scheduled for July 13th and then postponed to July 17th, has sparked heated debate among industry professionals and institutions. Vincenzo Elefante, Campania Regional Coordinator of AN.BTI-Confcommercio, expressed deep concern about the economic and social consequences of this decision, calling it a significant blow to an entire economic sector.
"Safety is fundamental, but it cannot justify suddenly burdening businesses with years of infrastructure delays," Elefante stated. According to the representative, the ordinance was adopted without prior consultation with the affected sectors and risks increasing private traffic instead of improving public mobility. AN.BTI-Confcommercio therefore calls for the immediate suspension of the ban and the convening of a technical panel involving the Region, Province, Prefecture, Municipalities, and trade associations to find shared solutions.
The Amalfi Coast, a destination for millions of visitors each year, cannot afford to be isolated during peak tourist influx. Tour buses, which transport approximately 150 million visitors to Italy each year, are essential to ensuring quality tourist service and must be enabled to operate effectively, Elefante concludes.
I understand the concerns, but it doesn't seem like a fair solution. It seems the ordinance was passed without consulting the operators, and now it will cause more private vehicles, more traffic, and a lot of inconvenience. A technical discussion with the Municipality, Province, Prefecture, and associations would have been useful to find shared solutions.