The latest survey conducted by ISNART for Unioncamere and ENIT, shows that 8 out of 10 rooms are already booked for August.
Looking to a bumper summer
The expected turnover of hotel bookings in Italy should reach €14.7 billion between June and September, with advance sales already close to 80% for the month of August, and destined to grow in the coming weeks to at least 90% for the peak summer months. July, with 70% of bookings and September, with 60% are also good.
Autumn bookings for spas and art cities are positive
Italian hospitality operators are reporting consistent advance sales for all the summer's top products. For August 77.4% of available rooms at the seaside, 76.6% in the mountains, 71.9% in the art cities and 75.5% in inland areas linked to green tourism have already been booked. The trend of autumn bookings also appears positive: at the end of June, there were already 43% bookings for stays in October, with peaks of 51% in spa resorts and 47% in the art cities, underscoring Italy’s appeal, and its ability to offer tourist experiences throughout the year.
Estimates put foreign arrivals at 19 million
The country’s strong appeal on international markets is also confirmed and is growing at a higher rate than domestic tourism. Germany, France, the USA, Switzerland and Canada are the main markets showing strong growth with 21% of lake resort operators and 18% of spa resort operators registering a rise in foreign visitors. Data that are confirmed by airport arrival forecasts, which estimate around 19 million arrivals from abroad.
Latium, Marche and Umbria are in high demand
The Jubilee is confirming its positive effect and is also offering an important showcase for neighbouring regions, Marche and Umbria in particular which are leaders in religious tourism. A 30% rise in sales in the first six months of the year compared to 2024 is shared by Latium, Marche and Umbria, reaching almost +50% in Umbria alone, which probably benefits from the spinoff of the strong appeal of the Rome-Assisi axis, also on international markets.With destination Italy once again at the top of the preferences of Italian and foreign tourists the majority of hotel operators are not particularly concerned about the phenomenon of overtourism, with a mere 10% voicing their concern.
“We are extending the season and seeing a rise in autumn bookings”
ENIT S.p.A. and the University of Rome-La Sapienza recently presented the new scientific tourism and sustainability model, presenting the first focus on the city of Rome.
"Tourism is one of the main drivers for our country. We are achieving excellent results, we are extending the season and seeing a rise in autumn bookings. Foreign markets are looking with interest at Italy and the experiences we are able to offer, and reconciling this with sustainability, as is demonstrated by the new scientific model developed by La Sapienza University”, said Ivana Jelinic, CEO ENIT S.p.A.
A project to promote UNESCO and cultural heritage tourism
"Culture is the first holiday motivation of tourists who chose Italy,- said ISNART’s president Loretta Credaro. -The art cities suffer less from the effects of seasonality, and even better are those localities that have a UNESCO site. ISNART is currently working on the Mirabilia project with 21 chambers of commerce to connect the analysis, development, and promotion of tourism with the valorization of UNESCO sites and Italy’s cultural heritage, starting from the theme of the sustainable development of cultural destinations.”
