This summer, there is expected to be a significant increase in Italian tourism, both from foreign visitors and Italians returning to vacation. According to the Confcommercio Tourism Observatory, nearly 30 million people between 18 and 74 plan one or more trips within Italy or abroad between June and September.
Such holidaymakers will result in approximately 63 million departures and generate 45 billion euros in business volume. Tourism is the primary driving force of the Italian economy this summer, with almost 30 million Italians and a record number of foreign visitors surpassing 2019 values.
However, where do Italians like to travel this summer? Most of them traditionally prefer the sea, with 24% choosing it as their favorite destination. Art cities come in second, chosen by 15% of the sample, while small towns and mountains follow with 9% and 11%, respectively. Interestingly, more Italians are now interested in traveling abroad, with 43% indicating this desire compared to last year's 25%. However, 56% of them still prefer domestic travel this summer.
When going on a seven-day trip, twice as many people prefer to travel outside the EU. Many are revisiting popular destinations like the Red Sea and the United States that were popular with Italians before the pandemic. For European vacations, neighboring countries like France, Austria, and Slovenia are popular choices, along with Spain, Greece, and the United Kingdom. This year, Portugal has also become a popular destination due to World Youth Day in early August.
Over half of Italian vacationers opt for hotels when finding a place to stay during their travel this summer. Four out of ten choose a hotel for more extended stays, whereas two out of three select a B&B for weekend getaways. Meanwhile, campsites, resorts, and holiday villages are preferred by 20% of tourists, while the remaining visitors opt for agritourism, second homes, or staying with friends and family.
According to recent data, the cost of travel and hospitality services has increased by an average of 12 percent. As a result, respondents expect to spend approximately 1,130 euros on holidays this year. This is a 10 percent increase over last year. This is with 920 euros spent on August departures, 560 euros on June departures, and 700 euros on July and September departures.
To ensure they can still afford to travel, half of the Italians surveyed said they would limit their "extra" expenses during their holiday, while one-third would avoid paid activities at their destination.