An ever-increasing number of people are looking at the map and pointing their finger at Lake Como, last year 400,000 more tourists arrived than in 2022.
For tourist flows, 2023 was a year to frame, arrivals exceeded 2.2 million, more than 400 thousand people, +18% compared to the previous year. According to the data released during the Economy Day, presences reached 5.6 million, +600 thousand nights (+13%). Presences in non-hotel facilities exceeded those in hotels, 3.1 million against 2.5 million. The alternative market of Airbnb in two years has grown by 90%.
«We are in a very high phase, we have almost reached the ceiling of the tourist reception capacity of the two provinces, there will be an adjustment in arrivals, the market is fairly stabilizing at much higher levels than 2019, the year of greatest growth in terms of arrivals and presences, excluding excursions – observes Fabio Dadati, president of Lariofiere and member of the Como-Lecco Chamber of Commerce – The years following Covid were a bit drugged, last year for example the Far market East was still partly closed to tourists, Europe was a destination that had more possibilities to be chosen, and within Europe, among the destinations with the greatest appeal is Lake Como”. The difference on the two branches of the same lake can be felt: «I have a hotel in Malgrate and it happens that guests call me to tell me they have arrived at the station, too bad they are in Como and not Lecco. The Lake Como location is perceived in international eyes as represented almost exclusively by Como and Bellagio. This year the Far East reopened and the tendency to choose Europe is decreasing, it is no longer the reference destination” continues Dadati.
Regarding the critical issues that are being recorded related to logistics, residents, owners of properties that rent to tourists: «We will reach a ceiling here too, the system will reposition itself – concludes Dadati – The issue related to transport is much more influenced by hikers, by those who travel for the day, compared to those who stay overnight in the area».
Tourism represents a tenth of all locations (7,600) in the Como area and over a tenth of all employees (31,300), in both values there was an increase of 1.2% compared to 2022.
«The growth in foreign tourists, +18%, more than compensated for the decline in Italian tourists -7%, Como and Lecco are the Lombardy provinces with the highest incidence of tourists from abroad, overall around 83% – highlights Carlo Guidotti, head of Studies and Statistics, Como-Lecco Chamber of Commerce – Despite the positive signs in the Lecco area, the strong persistence of the imbalance between the two provinces in terms of hotel attendance, Como 86% and Lecco 14%, and non-hotel Como should be noted 63% and Lecco 27%. Spending by foreign tourists is divided between 91% in Como and 9% in Lecco.”
According to Guidotti: «On the seasonality of flows that can generate overtourism, the most recent data from 2022 show a decrease in the seasonal peak factor compared to 2021, but also an increase compared to all previous years, there is still a lot to do in this direction”.
