Me and Sir Rocco Forte are taking on the world.
Bit by bit.
The international hotelier shared his thoughts on Italy, Covid and how we should get tourism back in track.
He reported that the holiday experience is seemless in Sardinia at his Forte Village Resort where the health and safety measures are not invasive.
And but for the staff wearing masks and the regulations we are all getting used to follow you wouldn’t know things were any different.
Sir Rocco has been lobbying government throughout the crisis.
And the news of airport testing, at £80 with the results within an hour, being introduced at Heathrow for flights to Hong Kong that opens up an opportunity for Italy.
Before I flew to Bergamo last week I had to get a home test from a pharmacy, pay £150, courier it £10) and await the test’s return 24 hours later.
All within a 72-hour window before departure which Italy requires.
I asked Sir Rocco if he had lobbied the Scottish Government too.
My cup of ciocolatta: Bergamo
‘The First Minister is determined to make it more draconic than the rest of the UK,’ he told me.
‘I’m not very confident she would listen. It would fall on deaf ears.’
Perche? I can vouch that Italy, the entry point for the virus, is coping better than us with it now.
Forza Italia and Scotland and the UK, I mean Mamma Mia!
Balearic amigo
And word comes to us too of how our friends in the Balearic and Canary Islands are being proactive and inventive too in trying to get us back to their shores.
It is something of a bug bear of mine that a special case was not made for the Spanish islands.
But that was then.
The Spanish Government has put forward this protocol and it is worth reading.
The taskforce suggests a test pre-departure, funded by the visitor, and a test prior to their returning to their home country. At no cost to them.
If visitors are requested to self-isolate while they are away accommodation would be provided.
If any additional medical costs is required this would be covered.
Today the accumulated infection rate in the Canaries was 35.29 per 100,000 are (based on the last 14 days).
In the UK it is 329.2 per 100,000.
Drink up and Kissimmee quick
And after all that I was ready for Happy Hour with some of my favourite people in the Travel world, Experience Kissimmee.
They sent me a hamper with Margarita glass, can… and Covid accessories, branded mask and gel.
And a very helpful Floridian cocktail king from Margaritaville showed us how to make them.
I’ll share all their news as soon as… Happy Hour extended into Happy Evening.
And, of course, you know how I love Florida and Disney World, Universal Orlando, Busch Gardens and the cities, Miami and Fort Lauderdale.
MEET YOU ON THE ZOOM