holiday rush
It can get crowded in summer in this popular travel destination
© ysbrandcosijn / Adobe Stock
This summer, Europe’s most popular holiday spots will be packed. In one country there are said to be around 11 percent more tourists than in the previous year. You can read here what this means for your holiday plans.
Travel companies are already warning that it could be difficult to snag last-minute deals this year. Because the demand is higher this year and flights to popular holiday destinations and hotels are already heavily frequented. If you want to travel to other European countries this year, it is better to take care of it sooner rather than later. One of the most popular travel destinations for Germans is Italy. Precautions are already being taken there to ensure that the tourism business gets off to a good start instead of stalling.
Italy: 11 percent more tourists expected
According to the Italian research institute Demoskopika, 2023 could see the highest number of overnight stays since 2010. President Raffaele Rio spoke out in favor of speeding up planning in the country. The country is expecting around 127 million tourists and around 442 million overnight stays this year. That is 11.2 percent more tourists than in the previous year. According to Rio, a national strategy plan and regional measures are therefore needed. In addition to domestic tourists, 61 million people from abroad are expected in Italy, i.e. almost half of the visitors.
A chance for Italy
While the mere numbers speak for full hotspots on the Italian travel routes, they also mean an opportunity for the popular holiday destination. According to Raffaele Rio, untapped potential in the country must now be used. It is also time to overhaul outdated tourism systems. According to estimates, around 89 billion euros will flow into the country through tourism.
According to a statement by Demoskopika, all regional destinations should also experience a positive travel trend. This is how the growth looks in some of the top holiday regions:
- Trentino Alto Adige: 52.6 million overnight stays (+ 15.4 percent) and 12.1 million tourists (+ 11.8 percent)
- Veneto: 73.3 million overnight stays (+ 14.8 percent) and 19.1 million tourists (+ 11 percent)
- The brands: 13 million overnight stays (+ 13.4 percent) and 2.7 million tourists (+ 13.8 percent)
- Molise: 584,000 overnight stays (+ 13.4 percent) and 182,000 tourists (+ 14.3 percent)
- Tuscany: 49.8 million overnight stays (+ 13.4 percent) and 14 million tourists (+ 13.5 percent)
- Lazio: 33.8 million overnight stays (+ 12.8 percent) and 11.5 million tourists (+ 12.8 percent)
- Sicily: 15.9 million overnight stays (+ 12.7 percent) and 4.9 million tourists (+ 8.9 percent)
Anyone looking for peace and relaxation should avoid big cities like Rome or Venice – or popular holiday destinations like Lake Garda. A relaxed holiday in smaller towns, for example in combination with a pretty holiday home, can be enjoyed in many regions of the country.
More and more measures against excessive tourism
Many heavily frequented regions have now taken measures to limit the number of visitors. In some cities there are extra fees for tourists for overnight stays and in Venice there will soon be a kind of entrance fee that has to be paid for day trips. Depending on the season, this varies between three and ten euros. If you want to visit the island of Giglio, you also have to pay a daily allowance. Tourists who want to drive to the island by car are only allowed to do so in the high season in August if they stay on the island for at least five nights. There are further restrictions at some holiday locations. A prior look at the local website is worthwhile.
Sources used: demoskopika.it, comune.venezia.it, veneziaautentica.com, traghetti-giglio.it, zdf.de