A thud like this had never been seen before. In 2020, the first season of the Covid era, domestic tourist consumption lost over 63 billion compared to 2019 and 31 billion in added value, which falls back to levels prior to 2010. These are the direct consequences of the almost zeroing of both incoming and outgoing tourist flows. out due to the health emergency. Overnight stays of foreign tourists in Italy decreased by 54.6%, 207 million visitors from abroad were missing, those of residents within the borders by 32.2%. This is what the Istat report reveals with the provisional estimates, subject to revisions, relating to the main aggregates of the tourism satellite account.
The decline in tourist activity accounted for more than a quarter of the overall loss of added value recorded in Italy. Tourist spending in euros by Italians in Italy and abroad has undergone a contraction of 50 billion, of which 26 billion for travel abroad alone. The collapse of international travel mainly affected tour operators and travel agencies with collateral services (-55%) and catering (-52.7%). The hospitality sector managed to resist (-18%) despite the fall in the hotel part offset by the strength of the component deriving from the use of second homes on their own.
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“The advances released today by Istat on the 2020 Tourism Satellite Account bring to light the drama of the crisis that the sector has experienced in recent months, confirming the analyzes we had conducted and the weakness of the support measures compared to such a difficult situation” he remarks Maria Carmela Colaiacovo, president of Confindustria Alberghi. According to the association, the first 6 months of 2021 started with great difficulty but thanks to the vaccination campaign, the first positive signs arrived in July and August.
The balance of seaside destinations is positive, with an average room occupancy of 70%, with a boom in occupancy in Liguria and Tuscany (room occupancy over 80%). Well the data on the mountain which, after suffering cancellations during the winter of 2020 due to the closure of the ski lifts, bodes well for the next cold season. The Trentino structures which recorded 70% room occupancy very well. Positive signals also for the inland areas to which a lot of post-covid demand has turned with an occupancy of over 60%. The first very timid signs of recovery for the cities of art that see Rome close with an occupancy of 40%, Florence by 50% and Venice by 55%. Better values than in the past but still far too far from the pre-crisis period (Rome, in the summer of 2019 recorded an occupancy of 75%, Florence of 80% and Venice of 85%) as evidenced by the structures still closed since March last year. Positive signs in September with an increase in bookings but above all an expected return of US customers.
Milan and Venice mark a + 15% in bookings compared to the same month of 2020 thanks to the important events on the calendar. The Milanese city benefits from the Supersalone that closed last weekend with numbers clearly higher than expected, followed by the fashion week; Cinema exhibition and architecture Biennale for the Venetian capital. More contained, but still with a positive sign, the increases in bookings (+ between 10 and 15%) planned for Rome and Florence. The sea sees the long tail of the summer with an increase in September bookings between 5 and 7%. «What was recorded this summer is a wave of optimism that gives us hope. Certainly the results obtained and what we expect for the next few months will not be able to cancel 14 months of almost total shutdown of all activities »says Maria Carmela Colaiacovo.