Italians take fewer holidays with less money

In Italy the tourist season continues, but with the negative effects of the energy crisis and the uncertainty caused by the early elections evident.

According to the latest figures from trade association Confcommercio and polling firm SWG, a total of 27 million Italians will go on holiday by September. In July, however, departures to the various resorts fell from 16,800,000, which were predicted a month ago, to 12,300,000. To a large extent, the cancellations are due to the increase in the price of energy, inflation, which has reached 8% on an annual basis, and the uncertainty caused by the resignation of Prime Minister Mario Draghi and early parliamentary elections.

As for August and September, Confcommercio adds that vacations and week-long trips are significantly down (minus three million), while “tourist getaways” lasting only two days, on weekends, are increasing.

Shrunken valantium

In total, the “budget” for the various trips is limited for each Italian by 120 euros. An amount that may seem low, but is actually expected to negatively affect the overall economic development of the country. As the Financial Times wrote, GDP growth in the second quarter of 2022 of 4.6% is largely due to the positive performance of the tourism sector.

As for the various destinations, 88% of Italians who have gone or are preparing to go on vacation will stay within national borders. The officials of the local government of Sardinia, with its crystal clear waters, state that the arrivals at the island’s airports have again reached the level of 2019. As far as abroad is concerned, in the first place of the choices, based on the latest data, Greece continues to be located. Spain and France and Croatia follow at a short distance.

Theodoros Andreadis-Syngellakis, Rome

Source: Deutsche Welle