There are almost 30 million, one more than in 2022, Italians aged between 18 and 74, ready to leave between June and September for one or more trips, in Italy or abroad, for a total of almost 63 million departures – just over 2 each – with an overall turnover generated in the order of 45 billion. These are the main data of the Tourism Observatory of Confcommercio on the holidays of Italians created in collaboration with SWG.
The sea firmly occupies first place with 24% of the preferences, a few percentage points less than in the summer of 2022. The cities of art are chosen by 15% of the sample, the small villages by 9% and the mountains by 11%. The tourist demand abroad is recovering. If in 2022, 3 out of 4 Italians chose exclusively national destinations, this share drops to around 56% this year, while those who go on holiday both in Italy and abroad rise from 25% to 43%.
In particular, on 2022, with reference to trips of 7 days or more, those who choose a destination outside Europe will double, with the reappearance of destinations particularly dear to Italians before Covid, such as the Red Sea and the United States. However, nearby France, Austria and Slovenia, as well as Spain, Greece and the United Kingdom, dominate the choices for holidays across the Alps.
Portugal is added this year, thanks also to the media and attraction effect of the World Youth Days at the beginning of August. Tourist accommodation facilities are preferred, but with some distinctions. More than half of Italian holidaymakers choose them for longer stays, opting for a hotel in 4 out of 10 cases, while, for short breaks, even 2 out of 3 do so, however opting, in this case, for B&Bs and hotels in equal measure. Campsites, resorts and holiday villages total an average of 20% of preferences while the others will stay in farmhouses and, above all, in second homes – owned or rented – or with friends and relatives.
In the face of an average increase in the costs of purely tourist services in the order of 12% compared to last year – with higher peaks on transport, where 28% of those interviewed see increases of more than 30% – the interviewees declare on average that they make availablefor holidays between June and September, a budget of around 1,130 euros each, 10% more than last year: 920 euros for departures in August, 560 in June and 700 for both July and September.
In comparison with the summer of 2022, it encourages that 6% of respondents who, having not made any last summer, go back to planning a vacation, albeit short, in the summer of 2023. It follows that, in order not to reduce the number of departures nor the length of stays, one out of 2 Italians declares that they will limit extra expenses on site and one out of 3 will give up paid activities at the destination.
“Nearly 30 million Italians traveling this summer and a record number of foreigners visiting Italy, exceeding the values of 2019, make tourism the main engine of our economy. Therefore redevelop the structures e improve training to support businesses in the tourism chain it is the priority investment to create new jobs and strengthen the entire country system”, comments the president of Confcommercio, Carlo Sangalli.
(ITALPRESS)
-photo agenziafotogramma.it-