Tourism, Italy is booming with American tourists

While we wait to see the effect that (as Enzo Jannacci would say) the Venus-influencer has on foreign travelers, we can already say that tourism in Italy has restarted in a big way and among foreigners the first are the Americans. And it is a data that is consolidated since already last year there was a real invasion of stars and stripes after the restrictions from Covid, a sign that our country continues to be a privileged destination for the travel expectations of the American tourist. Perhaps in search of the Italianstyle and the iconic Italian good living in the world that never wanes. The States has now doubled the number of flights to and from Italy and, for example, at Fiumicino there are more than 100 thousand passengers a day between departures and arrivals.

Tourism travels at twice the speed of other economic sectors, and the numbers shelled out these days by major study centers demonstrate its importance. The month of April in Italy coincided with holidays such as Easter and the April 25 and May 1 bridges, but spring has always been the period of the restart of the tourist season even for those from outside. And so if we calculate that a total of 17 million Italians traveled between the April 25 and May 1 bridges (9 million for Liberation Day and 8 million for Labor Day), according to a study by Aica Confindustria alberghi, to these must be added foreigners who see the United States as the first nationality of origin, precisely, followed by Germans, French, British, Swiss and Spanish. And the most inhabited location is Rome.

“No surprises from the spring holidays, the positive trend of last year is confirmed,” said Maria Carmela Colaiacovo, president of Associazione Italiana Confindustria Alberghi, “but what gives us hope for the future is the resilience and continuity of international tourism, which shows, at this time, a particular attention to our country. An opportunity that we must and want to seize in order to consolidate the market in the coming months as well, giving these travelers a made-in-Italy hospitality experience to tell about.”

But positive responses are also coming from other markets such as Brazil, which is starting to move important numbers again, and from the first signs of the return of Chinese tourists. In terms of room occupancy this translates into over 90 percent in Venice, 85 percent in Rome followed by Florence with a good 75 percent. Also interesting is the result of Milan and Turin with 67 and 65 percent of rooms booked respectively.

For Confturismo Confcommercio (study conducted by Istituto Piepoli), Americans indicate Italy at 75% as the destination of choice among possible destinations in Europe. On the same wavelength is Federalberghi, which, confirming the numbers of the 17 million traveling thanks to their ACS Marketing Solutions study, estimates the volume of business at around 7.4 billion euros. “The current results,” says Bernabò Bocca president of Federalberghi, “make one imagine a good performance in the perspective of next summer. Prudently we will watch, setting the course with a ’full ahead’.” Americans, after a long absence, are returning: “We have also been helped by a good exchange rate with the dollar,” Federalberghi director general Alessandro Massimo Nucara told TG2, “and foreigners represent more than half of our market.” On the domestic one, data show a previously undiscounted appreciation of our receptivity: “More than 90 percent of Italians who go on vacation during these bridges,” Nucara says with satisfaction, “stay in Italy. Two years ago we stayed there because we had to, now we could go anywhere, this says a lot about the appreciation we have for our capacity as a system. And the hotel continues to be the preferred destination: more than 30 percent of Italians these days will go to a hotel, immediately followed by home ownership.”

For Confesercenti-Centro studi turistici, once again driving the market are the very popular art cities, but strong interest was also detected in hill and lake resorts. A good recovery, compared to the April 25 bridge, is expected for coastal and mountain resorts. Overall, the average saturation rate detected on booking platforms stands at 77 percent of availability, which is 7 points higher than the same period in 2019.

In cities and art centers, average saturation rates of 86 percent are estimated, but so are the lake and hill areas, both with an average rate of 80 percent. Attendance at facilities in seaside resorts (74 percent) and mountain resorts (69 percent) goes up a few points. The movement of vacationers will be perceived more in the Northeast and Central regions (average rate of 80%), while for the Northwest and South-Islands the average saturation detected is 76% and 71%, respectively. Among the regions, Lazio (89 percent) and Campania (84 percent) are the most booked.

According to the Federalberghi study, the main reasons that led Italians to vacation on the days of the spring bridges were the search for relaxation and entertainment where the main activities of the days around April 25 saw culture in first place with visits to museums or exhibitions (22.9%) and monuments (21.4%) followed by walks (36.5%), excursions and trips (32.8%). Similar situation for the travel plans for the May 1 bridge where visit to cultural heritage (museums or exhibitions 24.5 percent, monuments and archaeological sites 24 percent) are at the top of travelers’ intentions, followed by walks (41 percent), excursions and trips (29.4 percent).

Image: Rome, the Spanish Steps of Trinità de’ Monti

Tourism, Italy is booming with American tourists

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