Italy has fared better than Spain and France on the list of the top tourism destinations in Europe. However, it has fallen behind Greece.
The Ministry of Tourism in Italy recently announced that the country has secured the 2nd position on the list of Europe’s top tourism destinations.
This was due to the fact that 39% of all accommodation facilities across the country have been booked through online platforms.
Spain and France followed Italy close behind in terms of numbers, which is 2% and 14% respectively.
According to sources, bookings for airlines have also gone up by 14% in the first fifteen days of the month of August alone, as compared to the same period in the year before.
Moreover, the international boost has thus reached a figure of 22%.
In Italy
Where the most well-known and frequently visited destinations in Italy are concerned, seaside resorts accounted for around 43% of overall bookings.
Consequently, the country was also recognized for offering a 31% better economic alternative, especially when compared to the average of the other countries on the list. These included France, Spain, and Greece.
Puglia holds the city that holds the first position in Italy, primarily due to its hundreds of blue-flagged beaches.
Consequently, Google revealed that interest in Liguria has also gone up further as searches for the region increased by 100% when compared to the same time period in 2022.
A similar trend was recorded for a couple of towns that are located in Sardinia and Puglia, such as Aglientu and Ginosa.
Tourism in 2023
On this occasion, the Tourism Minister, Daniela Santanche, took to giving a speech, talking about how the data has changed completely after pandemic restrictions were lifted.
Referring to this year as ‘year zero’, the Minister pointed out that June had been a good month, but July and August had helped the country exceed expectations.
She took to revealing that tourism this year has different challenges, as opposed to those before the pandemic.
In her words, the environmental disasters in Italy, like wildfires and floods in the months of July and August, had still but a damper on things and affected rates of bookings.
While talking about the impact on bookings, Santanche further reflected upon the increase in prices due to global inflation, which has caused a change in trends, as compared to the time before the pandemic.
The Minister went on to state how she had noticed a significant change in the market for tourists.
Tourists’ spending
On the one hand, in her words, Puglia is mainly for those with deep pockets but is currently modifying its offerings to accommodate tourists from different income backgrounds.
Consequently, the Tourism Minister revealed that Americans have been the only consistent force among foreigners, who continue to help Italy generate substantial revenues.
According to Santanche, 2023 is the year of transition and will help the country easily understand how tourism is going to have an impact on future excursions.
While Greece is the most famous summer destination on the list, France garnered significant attention as people once again flock to the City of Love, Paris.
