In an interview with Luciano Bersani, president of Ascom Capri, we discuss strategies to relaunch tourism and the potential to extend the season.
The summer of 2021 was marked by reopenings across Italy, and the island of Capri was no exception. It was a breath of fresh air for both the local population, who were able to resume normal activities that had been restricted during the many months of the pandemic, and for businesses, which had to work hard to ensure the highest levels of safety for their customers. To assess the outcome of the season and explore strategies for the upcoming months, we interviewed Luciano Bersani, president of Ascom Capri.
How did you find the summer season, both as president of Ascom Capri and as a business owner, representing the category?
“The summer went much better than expected. Of course, these results are partly due to the fact that, compared to 2020, we were able to start earlier in 2021, but the results are still remarkable. This success was also thanks to the island becoming COVID-free, a great opportunity given to us by the region, which led to a large influx of visitors to Capri, benefiting especially the accommodation and restaurant sectors.
As a business owner, I can say that we’re satisfied. Of course, we haven’t reached the numbers of 2019 or 2018, but we’re doing very well.”
Did you expect these numbers, given the uncertain situation in June? Did Capri manage to be ready?
“Certainly, we didn’t expect this, but the strength of entrepreneurship lies in its ability to handle and support these significant numbers, which were particularly noticeable in July and August. In the end, everything went well. Of course, it wasn’t easy to plan in this climate of uncertainty, for example, in terms of staffing and many other factors… but I believe there was an adequate response.”
What are the margins for improvement and what strategies do you think should be adopted to achieve them?
“We hope that next year we can start earlier, in April. Moreover, we expect a return of extra-European tourism, such as from America or Australia, which was missing this year due to international restrictions. This has caused many regular tourists to miss their trip to Capri. We also need to address the issue of cruise ship groups: the cruise sector has suffered a lot, but this year, starting from late August, we’ve seen more movement in this sector, with larger groups compared to last year. We hope that next year the sector will begin much earlier, and we’ll need to organize traffic and transport effectively to avoid any issues.
The Green Pass was, in our opinion, a very important tool. The island is almost entirely vaccinated, which provides security for those wishing to spend their holidays here. This unexpected tourism boom in Campania might have come from the region’s strong vaccination campaign. We must continue to focus on these efforts because tourism is a key sector for the entire region, and we must be ahead of everyone else. We have fantastic sites, beautiful islands— we have the tools to not just boost seasonal tourism but make Campania and Naples attractive year-round.”
Many Caprese entrepreneurs are talking about a strong September and early October, and we believe that if we all unite with proper planning, the tourist season could be extended until Epiphany. What do you think?
“In my opinion, we need to think in small steps. The important thing is to ensure that areas like Capri, Ischia, and Procida, which are tied to seasonality and good weather, maintain good traffic from April to October. In recent years, the season in Capri started in May, and sometimes even Easter marked the beginning of the summer. Over time, the start has moved forward. It’s important to occupy our season during those 6-7 months. After that, we could consider extending it into November and December, but it depends on several factors that go beyond Capri, including the potential of Naples and the Gulf to encourage hotels to remain open.
I see that there’s already much awareness: many establishments will remain open until the end of October, which is already a great success. Some will even remain open in the winter period. I believe that to achieve requests for overnight stays and meet these goals, it’s crucial that not only Capri, but also the surrounding area, move in this direction. The more the region activates, the more tourism we’ll get, and with that, the possibility of scheduling the season further ahead. It can’t just be an isolated event: once the hotels no longer have demand, the businesses that depend solely on tourism will have to close. I don’t expect that we’ll be able to stay open until December as early as next summer, but with proper long-term planning, it can work, and we could potentially continue until Christmas and beyond.”
What role do you think events play in the economic relaunch of Capri?
“In my opinion, tourism is like a mosaic made of many pieces. People come to Capri because it’s the most beautiful place in the world, and they know that here they can find everything they need for a 360° experience—from culture to gastronomy, boat tours to relaxing in the Piazzetta. Of course, if there are important events, it only adds to the offer for tourists and increases the possibilities for different experiences. I think it’s important to focus on events of all kinds—not just cultural but also purely for entertainment, with important purposes like charity fundraisers. Events like this have already taken place, and they’ve been very successful, showing that there can definitely be more.”
What are Ascom Capri’s next objectives?
“My primary goal was to bring many entrepreneurs and businesses that weren’t part of Ascom back into the fold, and we’re working in that direction. Beyond the union strategy, we always aim to be a point of reference for the administration, to address the shortcomings of recent years. For example, this year we had issues with transport, probably due to many factors, the most notable being the unexpected influx of tourists to the island. I hope that next year the administration works to resolve these issues and others. Our goal is always to improve and continue improving.”
What are your expectations for next summer?
“We hope for a happy and peaceful summer, one that starts earlier and leaves all our customers satisfied.”
Article by Stefano D’Alessandro – Photo: Capri Press
