The first real bridge of 2022 seems to be born under excellent auspices and not only for the weather forecast. From June 1st, the Green pass is no longer needed for foreigners arriving in Italy. As for the bridge, nine million Italians have already planned this taste of the season and another 4.3 million are considering whether to take this opportunity concurrent with the Republic Day. Not to mention those who will take the traditional out-of-town trip with a good chance one in five Italians will travel for this spring holiday. A positive result and in line with the propensity to overcome the many uncertainties with a short vacation. This is what the Swg-Confcommercio Observatory reveals based on the surveys at the end of May which calculates an average expense per traveler of 460 euros, a duration of three days and a relapse for catering companies between lunches, dinners and happy hours, according to forecasts by Fipe, in a range between 860 million and 1.3 billion. Hopefully in the replica of the Easter bridge when in the last few days the uncertain ones had decided to leave. Contrary to recent years, the vast majority will stay in a traditional hotel or in a non-hotel structure. Only 30% will use the second beach house or will be guests of friends and relatives. As far as destinations are concerned, the first choice, for this start of the season, is the sea with 37% of intentions. Cities, villages and places of art are indicated by the interviewees between 13% and 14%. Young people under 35 prefer a large city while the 55-74 age group opts more for villages and contexts more on a human scale for a holiday with a taste for slow tourism.
Federalberghi’s analysis, prepared with the support of ACS Marketing Solutions, also predicts about 13 million travelers and the vast majority (87.4%) will stay in Italy choosing from seaside, mountain, parks, cities of art and natural beauty. For those who will go abroad (12.6%) in pole position are the great European capitals but also the cruise trip. At the top of the ranking, there is an extraordinary and healthy need for relaxation, distraction and fun, or the need to enjoy a holiday in total carefree. “After the dramatic period of the pandemic, with the anguish of the conflict in Ukraine, our people now want to escape, to leave behind the gloom and pessimism that the spread of covid19 had generated in everyone’s minds” comments Bernabò Bocca , president of Federalberghi. About 400 thousand Italians have chosen the farm this year for the bridge.
This is what Coldiretti estimates in underlining that the return of Italians to travel is confirmed after two years marked by Covid and the necessary restriction measures for the pandemic. If the zero-kilometer cuisine remains the most appreciated quality, the push towards local tourism is what makes the choice of farm holidays, with the rediscovery of small villages and minor centers in the Italian countryside that has led the structures to increase the offer of activities with innovative services for sportsmen, nostalgics, onlookers and environmentalists, as well as cultural activities such as visiting archaeological or naturalistic paths or wellness. The long weekend of June 2 represents a much awaited appointment by the agritourism sector – recalls Coldiretti – with companies that lost 27% of their presences in 2021 compared to before the pandemic in 2019, above all due to the collapse of foreigners but also of Italians , according to Coldiretti’s analysis. Over one billion euros will be spent at the table by the 13 million Italians who have decided to go on holiday on the long weekend of 2 June. This is what Coldiretti estimates in underlining that the approximately 360,000 bars, canteens, restaurants, pizzerias and farmhouses along the Peninsula benefit from it, but also the 70,000 food industries and 740,000 farms along the supply chain. According to the association, 1/3 of tourism spending in 2022 will be allocated to the table in Italy, marking the overwhelming return of conviviality with the overcoming of anti Covid restrictions.
The consumption of meals in restaurants, pizzerias, trattorias or agritourisms, but also the purchase of street food, souvenirs or food and wine specialties is for many tourists – underlines Coldiretti – the main reason for traveling to a country like Italy where the ” agriculture has become the greenest in Europe with EU leadership in the organic sector with 80,000 operators, the largest number of recognized Dop / Igp / Stg specialties (316), 526 Dop / Igp wines and 5,333 traditional food products and with Campagna Amica the wider network of farmers’ direct selling markets. A trend that alongside the most popular tourist destinations is favoring the knowledge of the small villages where 92% of typical national products are born according to the Coldiretti / Symbola survey.