国际英语资讯:Feature: Some 10 mln Italians expected to travel over Easter amid tightened security_时事

国际英语资讯:Feature: Some 10 mln Italians expected to travel over Easter amid tightened security

ROME, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Some 10 million Italians were expected to travel during the Easter holidays, most of them planning an average three-night stay, according to a recent survey.

Meanwhile, the Italian authorities announced security in the capital and other major cities will be tightened due to both increased flows of visitors, and special events scheduled for the major festivity.

Tourism is a key sector for Italy's economy -- now more than ever, considering its sluggish path of recovery after a long crisis -- and Italian Hotels Association Federalberghi seemed quite confident in an upward trend in the next few days.

According to the results of a survey carried out among 3,000 people, Federalberghi forecast 9.9 million Italians would make a trip for Easter. The figure would mark a 2.3 percent increase over Easter 2016.

Some 93 percent of those travelling would remain within the country, while 7 percent would choose a destination abroad, the survey showed.

The association also expected the turnover for Easter to increase by 3.6 percent to 3.34 billion euros (3.55 billion U.S. dollars) this year.

"The positive signals arriving from the market allow us to look with moderate optimism at the situation," Federalberghi president Bernabo Bocca said on Thursday as the survey was released.

"Overall, we consider the data about (2017) Easter as a confirmation of an upward trend, which would boost the feeling on an on-going recovery," he added.