One and a half million tourists visited Naples in the month of December, occupying 80% of the available rooms in the first half of the month and 98% during the Christmas period and staying between three and four nights on average. The first and not final final balance of the Christmas, New Year’s and Epiphany tourist movement is more than positive for the city. To which are added the excellent numbers also recorded in the Campania coast. The region has certainly managed to exceed pre-covind levels, i.e. those of 2019 which was also a record year.
In Naples everything is full: crowds on the street, long queues at the museums. The turnout has been very sustained since the Immaculate Conception. When Confesercenti Campania has estimated receipts of up to 55 million, 25 in Naples alone. A ranking is still missing, but apparently, according to international specialized magazines, Naples was one of the first most sought-after destinations in Europe.
Seasonally adjust, a priority for the Municipality
«We want to continue to grow tourism – says the Councilor for Tourism of the Municipality of Naples Teresa Armato – Our strategy is based on a seasonal adjustment plan. In part this is happening: in August 2022, for example, we had a boom ». Council will continue to work to organize events and provide attractions during the months of March to April and then September to December.
Hospitality and widespread events
The strong turnout also poses the need to create other poles in the city. «We want to propose a series of itineraries, less known, but equally interesting and fascinating – adds Armato – re-evaluating above all the suburbs. Even those that don’t have a good reputation, but all have at least one interesting aspect, such as Sanità, Scampia, Ponticelli, Bagnoli. For the Epiphany we revived Piazza Mercato which had been effectively abandoned for years».
The underground is in the sights of the Municipality
The Councilor for Tourism clarifies the line to be adopted in the coming months. The first move was the adoption of a control code to bring out the submerged structures. “Unfortunately we don’t have many resources to intensify checks – adds Armato – so we had to make an agreement with the Guardia di Finanza. As for the growing number, even too much, of holiday homes in the historic centre, we are convinced that the city should not be distorted. “Tourists are attracted by the Neapolitans – says Armato – if the historic center became only a holiday home, they would no longer be”.