- Uncertainty slows down holiday tourism, leaving 6 out of 10 rooms empty. The critical issues that have emerged in the last period, starting with the resumption of infections, are being felt on the Italian tourism industry.
And if for now the phenomenon of cancellations appears limited, operators report a sharp slowdown in new requests for services, especially from abroad, so much so that, to date, during the holidays, accommodation facilities should record an average room occupancy rate. equal to only 40%.
This is what emerges from the survey carried out by the Centro Studi Turistici of Florence, on behalf of Assoturismo Confesercenti, on a sample of 1,332 hospitality entrepreneurs.
OVERNIGHT STAYS
Overall for tourism companies, the 2021/2022 Christmas holidays will be less dramatic than the previous ones, conditioned by New Year's restrictions and lockdowns, but in any case disappointing compared to initial expectations.
According to estimates, overnight stays in Italian accommodation facilities will be around 14.6 million, compared to almost 17 million before the pandemic.
ITALIANS AND FOREIGNERS
Domestic demand still accounts for the lion's share (85%), while the presence of foreigners remains low, with a total of about 2.2 million overnight stays, mainly concentrated in cities of art and in the mountains, in particular in 4/5 star hotels.
The flow in the days of Christmas will be 25% of that of the entire period;
the remaining 75% will be recorded between New Year's and Epiphany.
THE GOALS
A substantially similar trend is expected for hotel and non-hotel facilities, for which room occupancy rates are estimated to be 40.6% and 39.4% respectively.
The trends, however, are highly differentiated by type of destination and geographical area.
It is better in the mountains where employment rates are expected to stand at 60%, about 20 points above the national average.
Even for the cities of art and for the spas, the occupancy rates should register values above the Italian average, respectively 49.6% and 46%.
The lakes are relatively well, with a saturation of the available rooms estimated at 40.6%.
THE SOUTH IN SUFFERING
The noon, on the other hand, suffers more. The average occupation of the structures in the North West is estimated at 42.9%, while for the North East it would stop at 39.8%. A certain dynamism of the market is also expected for the structures of the Center, for which an average saturation of 41.7% is estimated, unlike the structures of the South-Islands which instead suffer more and would remain at 30.1% of rooms busy. "After a positive summer and autumn, the winter has unfortunately brought about a clear reversal of the trend", comments Vittorio Messina, National President of Assoturismo Confesercenti. "The resumption of infections in Europe, especially in the traditionally strong markets of Italy, has had a very heavy impact on foreign demand, canceling about one million overnight stays.shadow of the restrictions is also slowing down Italian demand, despite the fact that our country is, at present, one of the safest destinations in the world ", between cancellations and slowdown in bookings, he concludes," all sectors, from travel agencies to hotels, from tourist services to guides, they are once again suffering: it will be necessary to intervene, renewing and extending support for businesses and protection for workers ". (ANSA).renewing and extending support for businesses and protection for workers ". (ANSA).renewing and extending support for businesses and protection for workers ". (ANSA).