“Summer holidays have already begun and the first data are certainly not encouraging. It may be the fault of the weather, temperatures below the seasonal average, the votes that were held recently or the too high costs in holiday resorts but it seems that summer tourism has started very slowly. A decrease of 2% is estimated compared to the same period last year”. He begins with these words Sandro Susini, labor consultant and director of the Conflavoro Pmi Study Center
Yet the Italian tourism industry expects almost 220 million visitors between June and August, an increase of almost 2% compared to the same period last year. Over a third, 39%, are tourists who will come from abroad to visit our beautiful peninsula.
But not all that glitters is gold, in fact, due to price increases, there will be families who, while not giving up their holidays, will find themselves forced to reduce the holiday period to no more than a week.
From the Conflavoro SME study it emerges that there will be 16 million, equal to 27% of the population, Italians who will go on holiday for no more than 7 days, and 29 million, just under 50%, who will enjoy holidays of more than a week.
The number of people who can afford weekend trips is also decreasing with a drop of 3%.
It is estimated that the average spending per capita for a week’s holiday is 615 euros per person, an increase of 22% compared to the previous year. Around 1150 euros, however, is that of tourists coming from abroad.
According to the estimate, 57% of families who will go on holiday for no more than a week are residents in southern Italy, 25% in the center and 18% in the north.
Even with regards to the average expenditure per capita for a week’s holiday, there is a notable gap between the various Italian citizens, in fact, those living in northern Italy are willing to spend up to 740 euros, those in the center 630 euros and those in the south only 480 euros.
If age is taken into consideration, people up to 30 have a weekly budget of 450 euros, 800 euros for those aged between 31 and 60 and 595 euros for those over 61.
The price increases are mainly due to the cost of accommodation facilities, which show an increase of up to 23% compared to the year 2023, beach services plus 11% and transport plus 26%.
A seven-day holiday will cost 20% to 25% more than last summer.
“Even foreign destinations due to the increases in the cost of ferries and flights – concludes Susini – are no longer convenient and Italians, in contrast with 2023, prefer to stay in Italy, reducing trips abroad by 4%.
