The Italian government has taken a significant step toward reducing bureaucracy for the outdoor tourism sector. On Wednesday, the Council of Ministers approved a new measure that will streamline the landscape authorisation process for campsites and holiday parks across the country. Under the new rules, individual authorisations will no longer be required for each mobile home or caravan within a holiday village. Instead, a single, overarching authorisation granted to the entire site will be sufficient.
The initiative, announced by the Ministry of Tourism, aims to simplify administrative procedures and support a sector that continues to grow year after year. “Today the government has taken another step forward,” said Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè. “Thanks to the collaboration with Minister Giuli, we’ve made progress in cutting red tape. From now on, holiday parks will no longer need to apply to heritage authorities for each individual mobile home or caravan – approval of the site as a whole will be enough”.
This measure, the result of joint efforts by the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Culture, has been widely welcomed by operators in the sector, who have long struggled with cumbersome procedures and uncertain timelines. “It’s a key part of our broader strategy,” added Santanchè, “which has already given new momentum to a sector with enormous potential – especially in southern Italy”.
Comprehensive support for the sector
The simplification forms part of a wider support plan for the outdoor hospitality industry. This includes the introduction of a new system for calculating property tax for open-air accommodation, a €33 million fund for building and upgrading motorhome parking areas, and an additional €30 million to enhance Italy’s extensive network of walking routes. “These are structural, integrated reforms,” Santanchè said, “that will help outdoor tourism truly take off – encouraging sustainable, balanced, and competitive growth across the national tourism landscape”.
According to Open Air Next Step, a promotional initiative backed by six major players in the premium outdoor holiday segment, the next steps include reviews by the Council of State and the State-Regions Conference – expected to take approximately 45 to 60 days. Following this, the proposed regulation will be submitted to the relevant parliamentary committees, likely the Culture Committees, for a non-binding opinion over a further 30 days. A final approval by the Council of Ministers and official publication in the Gazzetta Ufficiale (Official Journal) will then complete the process. “If all goes according to plan,” said Open Air Next Step, “the new regulations excluding mobile homes and caravans from individual landscape authorisations could come into effect between late August and early September”.
For campsite and holiday park managers, the regulatory overhaul is expected to create a more favourable environment for investment and development. In particular, the streamlined authorisation process should facilitate site upgrades and expansions, helping bring Italian facilities in line with European standards and the growing expectations of quality-conscious, flexibility-seeking travellers.
Outdoor tourism in Italy has seen steady growth in recent years. With this new regulatory boost, the sector is poised to strengthen its position as a key driver of both national and European tourism economies.
Photo by Italian Minister of Tourism
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