STR: Italy hotel occupancy drops amid COVID-19 outbreak
Key hotel markets in Italy have reported significant occupancy declines amid the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), according to preliminary February data from STR."Italy has become a focal point of the COVID-19 outbreak, so to no surprise, the hotel occupancy impact has been significant in certain markets," said Robin Rossmann, STR's international managing director. "It is important to note, however, that performance declines are more pronounced in Italy in comparison with other countries due to the significant measures being taken by the government to combat the virus spread. The hope is that these measure will position Italy to rise from the situation earlier than other countries in order to offer a safe European destination for summer travelers."