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Sicily Creates Fund to Pay 50% of Vacationers' Costs  | Frommer's Scott Wylie/Flickr

Sicily Creates Fund to Pay 50% of Vacationers' Costs

Sicily is giving vacationers an offer they can't refuse.

The government of this storied Italian island has put aside €500 million (about $595 million) to pay for 50% of the cost of airfare for anyone who comes in the months that tourism returns. The fund will also pay for one out of every three hotel nights for visitors.

Eventually there should be a form on the Sicily tourism website to register for these give-backs; no details yet on how long funds are expected to hold out.

Also, all entry fees to museums and historic sites will be waived, which will cost the government an additional €45 million (about $48 million).

But it's a drop in the bucket next to the €1 billion that Sicily has lost already in tourism revenue.

Italy is expected to start slowly rolling back its quarantine measures on May 1. No word yet on when Sicily will fully open to tourists from outside Italy.

Sicily is a uniquely appealing destination, with superb cuisine and important historic sights, including some of the finest Greek ruins on earth. Today it feels more authentically Italian than many of the tourist hot spots on the mainland.

Learn all about Sicily in the Frommer's destination section, which is full of recommendations for hotels, restaurants, and attractions.

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