Italy's tourism sector, and its economy as a whole, has taken a major hit as visitors stay away this year due to the coronavirus outbreak. Huge losses were reported as travellers cancelled their bookings even before Italy shut down in early March, when all but the most essential travel to Italy became impossible.

The resulting economic hit to one of the world's most-visited nations is profound. Tourism employs an estimated 4.2 million people in Italy - just under a fth of the entire ocial workforce. The tourism sector accounts for 13 percent of Italian GDP