For agritourism in the Maremma, this summer has started on an uphill slope. Confagricoltura has reported a drop in bookings, a drop that Daniela Maccaferri, president of Agriturist Toscana (the section of Confagricoltura Toscana that deals with rural tourism) says affects various areas of Tuscany. For June and July, there is talk of a 25% drop in Tuscany and in August the situation seems to be slightly recovering. “In the Maremma area, the season as a whole is at -30% – comments Maccaferri – families have practically disappeared and bookings are often from couples who make short stays of up to a maximum of 4 days”. On a more general level, Maccaferri continues: “The characteristic of this year in our agritourism is the increase in short stays to the detriment of long periods of stay, typical of the foreign market – says Maccaferri – while Italian customers continue to prefer last-minute bookings that make it impossible to make predictions. The situation, however, is different from area to area. By consulting the various Agriturist affiliated companies, we have tried to make a map of bookings in agritourism in Tuscany”.
Analyzing the individual areas, the president of Agriturist Toscana explains: “In coastal areas such as Livorno and Argentario, Agriturist affiliated companies declare that they have the impression that the real season has not yet begun – concludes Maccaferri, the president of Agriturist Toscana –. Often the travellers are families and regular customers, but the trend of short stays is confirmed. Furthermore, it is worth noting the absence of German tourists, who visit the area every year”. Versilia and the structures in the Lucca countryside go against the trend, where the structures register an increase of around 10-15% in overnight stays. Tourists in these areas often come from Germany and northern Europe, many from America. The trend is rather positive in the Chianti area and in the Chianti classico. In Maremma, the numbers are worrying and the hope is that in August the trend may change compared to the beginning of summer.
