With an allocation of 5 billion euros, Unicredit gives new life to the “Made4Italy” plan for the enhancement of tourism and agri-food SMEs. A three-year plan (2022-2024) that aims to encourage a joint offer between tourism and agri-food companies to enhance the territory of the beautiful country and attract new flows of guests from abroad. Over 50 thousand SMEs will be supported, with mortgages lasting up to 20 years. The entrepreneur can also choose the repayment formula over 12 months or during the summer or winter season of full activity. This morning the Made4Italy plan is presented, which Sole-24 Ore is able to anticipate, organized by UniCredit in collaboration with Enit, Lonely Planet and Confcommercio Lombardia.
The institute led by Andrea Orcel aims to enhance the path of companies in a sustainable key, with loans that also provide for a reduction in the spread for the company that is committed to achieving results based on ESG criteria, environmental, social and corporate governance . On the digitalization front, the operation aims to strengthen the digital transition processes of SMEs also with specific tools for growth such as the “Together 4 Digital” initiative in partnership with Microsoft Italy. Unicredit supports SMEs in accessing Pnrr funds and offers consultancy and discussion services with companies and protagonists of different supply chains.
«Tourism and agri-food can generate economic value and new opportunities for Italian destinations and for strengthening the Italy brand – underlines Niccolò Ubertalli, head of UniCredit Italia -. UniCredit has been promoting and supporting this winning combination for Italy through Made4Italy since 2019. After having disbursed over 5 billion euros to tourism and agri-food companies in the period 2019-2021 and supported 16 projects for the enhancement of the territories, today we wanted to renew our commitment. We are making a new ceiling of 5 billion available to support the companies of the two sectors and enhance the attractiveness of the territories, with a focus on supporting the sustainable and digital transition of SMEs and the supply chain projects that we are going to select “.
The agreement with ENIT was also renewed with the signing of a memorandum of understanding that strengthens the collaboration for the identification, development and promotion of supply chain projects in the Italian territories, to promote excellence and innovations, to identify and evaluate best financial support tools for companies in the tourism sector. “Giving centrality back to credit quality for a tourist offer that is not only resilient but that pushes forward with conviction and knowledge is an appropriate strategy for the times to restore wide-ranging synergies – explains Maria Elena Rossi, Enit marketing director -. The enhancement of the supply chain requires substantial support for ideas. We really like the combination of creativity and economic support in diversified forms that can give hope and renewal to the sector “.
As regards the upcoming summer season, the Nomisma-UniCredit Tourism Observatory shows a strong desire to leave. As many as 28.3 million Italians expect at least one holiday opportunity in the summer of 2022 and 85% will stay in Italy. About two thirds will choose a seaside resort, mainly in Puglia (13%), Sicily (10%) and Tuscany (9%) – while 12% will move to European destinations: Spain, Greece and France the most popular. The sentiment compared to 2021 is positive: the majority expect to make more trips and longer trips with an increase in spending for overnight stays. A minority, around 16%, instead foresees a tout court downsizing of the holidays, both in terms of the number of trips, the duration and the budget allocated. The need to save, the fear of a new wave of pandemic and the intention to replace the trip with an overnight stay with small day trips are weighed down. As far as operators are concerned, the current situation is marked by the increase in bills and the inflation that we are trying to cope with with renewables and energy efficiency. In addition, the price lists are revised upwards with increases in the prices of rooms, services and the reduction of the period of activity. Just over half of the entrepreneurs of tourism and agri-food companies expect a lower spending capacity of travelers but are looking to the future. Within the next 2 or 3 years, 16% of the structures will have relaxation and fitness areas, 25% stations for smart-working. It also focuses on the offer of tailor-made services and the offer of menus with organic and local products to discover the local food and wine tradition.