*Translated by Sara Pasino
VARESE – August begins with a rather warm forecast and stable good weather – except for some light rains in the area of Varese during the weekend. And if this worries the agricultural sector, at the same time it pushes even more Italians to leave the big cities for their vacation. This year, 22 million people in the country have decided to go on holiday in August – a 4% increase compared to last year. Racing to secure the best spots in the beaches, countryside and mountains, Italians have already filled the highways for the first major exodus of summer 2022. This is what emerges from a Coldiretti/Ixè analysis that portrays a great desire for holidays, despite the intense traffic, the climatic anomalies, between record heat and bad weather, and the concern for the rising prices.
Most spend less than a week on holiday
«This year, the month of August, traditionally devoted to holidays and trips, marks a clear preference for national destinations, including Lake Maggiore,» says Coldiretti Varese. «People now want to visit places closer to home, to rediscover the beauty of Italy or to return to places they’ve enjoyed in the past. Some look for a quiet environment, services and people. But there is also a 23% share of Italian travellers – almost one in four – who decided to go on holiday abroad despite the fears related to the problematic international situation».
For the majority of Italians travelling (53%) the duration of the holiday is less than a week, while for almost one in three Italians (30%) the duration is between one and two weeks, but there is a very lucky 3% that will be away even more than a month. On the other hand, others chose the so-called “long weekend”, leaving the big cities on a Thursday night and coming back on Sunday evening. This phenomenon is particularly widespread in Lombardy, where a significant number of people from Milan choose the lakes and the mountains as destinations for a short vacation.
The sea gets the lion’s share, together with farm stays
However, in the middle of the summer it is the sea that gets the lion’s share, with August traditionally marking the most expensive price lists for accommodation, food and even umbrellas and sunbeds. But this year many local businesses are suffering from inflation, with rising prices for almost all aspects of the holiday, starting from the trip.
According to Terranostra and Campagna Amica, the 25 thousand agriturismi – farm stays – in Italy are very popular as people are looking for a more sustainable form of tourism. This has led to accommodation operators offering activities and innovative services to sport lovers, nostalgic and curious travellers, as well as environmentalists. People are also looking for cultural activities, such as visiting archaeological or naturalistic spots or wellness destinations.
According to Coldiretti/Ixè’s analysis, this summer almost one in five Italians (17%) leaves for holiday with a pet, thanks to the numerous “pet friendly” accommodation services in the peninsula. The study also showed that just a minority of 6% of Italians give up the holiday because of the structure not welcoming dogs, cats, but also birds, rabbits, turtles and fish.
When budgeting, food is more important than housing
«In summer 2022 – says Coldiretti – food is the most important item of the holiday budget in Italy, with a third of the tourist expenditure devoted to the culinary experience, surpassing that for accommodation, driven by the desire for conviviality. Food and wine tourism is a privileged market for local food specialties, but also a driving force for the development of our territories. In fact, a lot of economic and employment opportunities in Italy are dependent on the valorization of the immense national historical and cultural heritage».
«Italy is the only country in the world that can assure the highest quality of products and the environmental sustainability and safety of its agri-food production. As a consequence, Italy has been renowned for its landscapes of unique beauty,» says the president of Coldiretti Varese, Fernando Fiori. Finally, he underlines that «the defence of biodiversity doesn’t only have a naturalistic value, but it also represents the real added value of national agricultural productions and a driving force of the holiday Made in Italy».