Sicily's tourism hit hard by drought as hoteliers turn away guests

Sicily has been struck by an extreme drought, prompting authorities to declare a state of emergency. Harsh conditions are impacting tourists, as hotel and lodging owners refuse stays. The situation is challenging in one town.

The state of emergency due to the drought was declared in February and is expected to last until the end of the year. At the time, local authorities appealed to residents to reduce water usage.

The situation worsened with the arrival of warmer months and the peak holiday season. TVN24 reports that huge problems have arisen in Agrigento on the southern coast of Sicily.

This town's hotel and tourist facility owners refuse to accommodate tourists due to insufficient water.

Nicola Farruggio, president of the Sicilian Federation of Hotels, pointed out that facilities are required to have certain water reserves. In the face of drought, this often involves purchasing water. Owners of smaller lodging places usually cannot afford to, and as a result, they cannot provide an adequate amount of water for guests.

Currently, some have to reduce their water usage by 45 percent, while others do not have access to water at all (during the night hours).

The situation is quickly impacting the entire tourist accommodation sector, which risks serious economic consequences, given that tourism is a sector almost everyone in this part of Sicily relies on, said Giovanni Lopez, owner of the Le Cinque Novelle B&B in the centre of Agrigento, as quoted by CNN.

Salvo Cocina, head of the civil protection department in Sicily, informed us that the water level in the reservoirs is at 25 percent of the total capacity and is continuously dropping. Ilpost.it reports that according to forecasts, the situation is expected to worsen by the end of July 2024.

Consequently, Sicilian authorities issued a unique appeal. According to the portal, the Navy tanker will supply water to the province of Agrigento.