Ten million Italians ready to leave for the Easter holidays, of which two are still undecided due to the uncertain weather, but ready to pack their bags. Another 8 and a half million are planning a trip for the April 25 long weekend. It emerges from the focus on Easter of the
Confcommercio Tourism observatory in collaboration with SWG
.
With a total expense of 3.5 billion - 350 euros per person - Italians traveling at Easter choose Italy in 85% of cases. In the last month, many have revised their programs, organizing shorter holidays closer to home: in fact, those who will spend 2 nights at the destination have increased by 12 percentage points, today they are 61% of those interviewed. The number of holidaymakers abroad increased from 11% to 15%, choosing Spain, France and Austria as their main destinations, regardless of the number of scheduled overnight stays.
The sea takes the lion's share with 25% of preferences, followed by the cities of art chosen by 21% and the mountains by 15%. The choices of accommodation solutions are even more concentrated, for which 51% opt for a hotel or a B&B, while 30%, on the other hand, take advantage of Easter to reopen second homes they own or to visit relatives and friends.
There is a great desire for the South in that 46% of Italians who, remaining on the peninsula, will take a trip outside their own region: Campania, Sicily and Puglia - at the top of the ranking - are the destination of 3 out of 10 interviewees while, among the northern regions, Emilia Romagna, Lombardy and Tuscany - chosen by a further 3 out of 10 tourists - are just behind Liguria and Veneto.
At Easter, tourism will generate a turnover of 3.5 billion
- Over the Easter weekend there will be at least 14 million tourists and daytrippers traveling around Italy. There will be around seven million actual tourists with an average of two overnight stays per capita. With over two and a half million foreigners. For a total turnover of three and a half billion. Cities and villages of art, coastal and lakeside resorts, spas will act as a magnet during the weekend between March and April. The estimates are for better results than 2019, the last year before Covid, and more or less in line with last year. This was predicted by a survey conducted by
Cna Turismo e Commercio
among members of the Confederation throughout Italy which ANSA published in preview. The increase in prices, especially of transport, pushes us to prefer shorter journeys for excursions by day-trippers and trips by tourists, i.e. those who spend at least one night in hotel or non-hotel facilities.
Domestic and international tourism increases in hotels
- Despite an unfavorable calendar, with Easter at the end of March,the results coming from bookings in Italian hotels are good. The photograph taken by
Confindustria Alberghi
shows, in most destinations, increasing data in the domestic component and confirmation of the prevalent international presence in hotel structures.
The forecast for the mountains is very good, where the bookings received to date represent 80% of the available rooms. The clientele is mainly Italian but there is no shortage of foreigners coming mainly from Northern Europe (Great Britain, Germany and Denmark) and from Eastern Europe, Poland and the Czech Republic in particular. Bookings in seaside resorts also represent over 54% of rooms. Also in this case the clientele is mainly Italian but the foreign clientele is growing, primarily Americans especially in the luxury segment, French and Germans.
Venice stands out with a booking figure of well over 75% of available rooms, an increase of 10% compared to last year's holiday. The hotels of the Serenissima recorded an increase in both Italian (+5%) and foreign customers (+8%), mainly coming from the long haul markets (USA, South Korea).
In Rome the figure represents 71% of available rooms, an increase of 4% compared to last year both in terms of domestic tourism (+5%) and foreign tourism (+2%) coming mainly from the USA, France , Germany and Brazil.
Florence follows with a forecast data on occupancy of 67% compared to available rooms, an increase of 4% compared to 2023. In the Florentine capital, the increase in foreign customers (+6%) offsets the decline in Italians (-3%) but last second bookings could still be added. Among the main foreign markets of origin are France, Spain, the USA but also Korea and China.
Overall encouraging results when compared with the Str CoStar forecasts and relative to our competitors who see the booking data on available rooms in London at 67.3%, Paris at 64.4% and Barcelona at 66.5%.
"The signals that arrive from hotel bookings during the Easter period - explains Maria Carmela Colaiacovo, president of the Italian Confindustria Alberghi Association - open the doors to an encouraging scenario. The expectations of a holiday linked to typically domestic tourism also tell us how there is a constant desire to visit our destinations also and above all among the international public who look for not only luxury but also unique experiences in our destinations. Positive signals on which it is necessary to work also in anticipation of next summer".
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