The summer of 2023 is set to be one of the best in the last 10 years as far as open-air destinations are concerned. The main figures, which emerge from the Outdoor Tourism Observatory signed by Human Company, a company that has been active in outdoor tourism for over 40 years, in collaboration with Thrends, are excellent and estimate 56.6 million presences for the months of June, July, August and September, up 2% compared to 2022 (55.5 million) and up 1% compared to 2019 (55.9 million).
Another important figure concerns incoming tourism from abroad: it is estimated that it will reach 51% of the market, becoming the driving force and demonstrating foreigners’ desire to travel and move towards the Mediterranean and Italy in particular. Italian tourism, which accounts for the remaining 49%, is stable compared to the previous two years and inclined to stay within national borders, due to the uncertain economic situation and the increase in both expenses in general and transport prices, specifically.
“2023 will be a record summer for outdoor tourism, one of the best in the last 10 years, a clear sign that this form of accommodation is becoming increasingly mainstream for both Italians, for whom it is no longer a post-pandemic necessity, and foreigners, who – who have always loved this type of holiday – are returning to the Belpaese,” said Domenico Montano, General Manager of Human Company. “Investing in quality, taking care of the guests and their time, paying attention to sustainability, and the link with the territory are all key elements of our form of hospitality, which are crucial to continue to grow and to be more and more a leading player in the travel industry in Italy”.
Analysis of the factors impacting on tourism
The estimates reported by the Observatory were derived from an analysis of the macroeconomic context. Among the elements considered most decisive is the high fuel prices, which has also led to a rise in the prices of means of transport: aeroplane and train fares for the summer period are already affected by this. In addition, the rise in energy and utility prices due to inflation and the growth in average tariffs in all accommodation sectors have changed and influenced the organisation and duration of holidays.
Climate change, with rising temperatures, has also led to a different planning of holidays, making months such as June and September more attractive to travellers. Other factors have become less influential for the tourism sector at this time, like the conflict in Ukraine, which should not affect the desire to travel, and the mood regarding the pandemic, which is extremely different from last summer, and which has encouraged travel to distant destinations at the expense of a closer choice.
Observatory data processing methodology
For the 2023 edition, outdoor tourism hospitality included not only campsites and holiday villages – as in the 2022 edition – but also agritourisms and mountain huts. The aim is to obtain as complete and exhaustive a picture of the open-air sector as possible. The Observatory has collected the data and provided the final estimates by reading and analysing research on the sector carried out by other important bodies, including ISTAT, Eurostat, and the relevant offices of all the Italian regions.
Finally, a new model was developed for the estimation of 2023 presences (obtained thanks to the support of the Regional Statistical Offices), based on the reworking of those used in previous years. The report presents a preview of the results (which can be defined as “provisional”) of the volumes of the outdoor sector in 2022, which are not yet available at ISTAT level. An analysis of the numbers shows that 2022 was the year of a return to pre-2020 levels, with growth in presences in the outdoor sector reaching 66.1 million for the entire year, only 1.1% lower than 2019.
Italy also emerged as the second largest European market behind France in terms of presences in 2022. The foreign market sees +40% over 2021 and +3% compared to 2019. This recovery highlights the confidence in the open-air holiday by foreign tourists in particular. Finally, 59% of the Italian market is absorbed by 5 regions in particular – in this order Tuscany, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Marche, and Apulia – while 69% of the foreign market is absorbed by Veneto, Tuscany, Lombardy, Alto Adige, and Piedmont.
