Outdoor tourism in Veneto: April data and reservations for the summer are very positive

The Venetian coast and Lake Garda show very positive data. In seaside campsites, the average occupancy of the structures in April was in fact 27.4%, with peaks between 50% and 60% between the 15th and 17th of the month. On the Garda, Venetian side, there was a real boom in the period of Easter 2022, with an average occupancy of about 57% of the structures and peaks of 86% on April 15 and 16. These are the data processed by H-Benchmark for FAITA-FederCamping and presented yesterday at the “Tourism en plein air: what future?” in Cavallino-Treporti (VE). The event was attended by – among others – Alberto Granzotto, president of FAITA Northeast and national FAITA; Federico Caner, Councilor for Tourism of the Veneto Region; Roberta Nesto, Mayor of the Municipality of Cavallino-Treporti and Coordinator of the G20s; Karlheinz Jungbeck, President of the ADAC Tourism Directorate; Giorgio Palmucci, president of ENIT; and Uwe Frers, CEO of PINCAMP ADAC Camping.

It is interesting to note that the largest number of tourists in recent weeks came from Germany (45.2% of guests on the coast and even 73.6% on Garda), while the Italians made up 31.9% of the presences at the sea and only 12.5% to the lake. In both cases they were followed, with much lower percentages, by the Swiss, the Austrians, and the Dutch.

Double-digit growth for the summer

The prospects for the summer period are excellent, with 48.3% of the structures occupied (with peaks – coinciding with the German holidays – of 74%) at the seaside and over 50% (with peaks of daily occupancy between 85 % and 98% respectively for Pentecost and for the second half of August-beginning of September) at the lake. This is an increase of 22% and almost 30% respectively compared to the data recorded on April 21, 2021.

Based on reservations for the summer, Germany stands out among the countries of origin with 60.4%, which prefers the months of June and September. Followed by the Netherlands, which instead booked mainly for the central months of July and August, with 21.3%, Denmark with 8.4%, Italy with 3.4%, Austria (2.5%), Switzerland (2.1%), and Belgium (1.7%). The duration time varies on average from 10 days to 2 weeks. This growth trend for outdoor tourism had already occurred before Covid, but the pandemic has now accelerated more markedly.

Quality and professional training

“The evolution has been felt for some time, especially in the structures most frequented by tourists from Northern Europe, who are particularly sensitive to environmental issues,” explained Alberto Granzotto. “Our companies are grasping the changes in the market and investing in innovative solutions. FAITA-FederCamping is working with some companies also to allow the achievement of the quality marks of the structures, in compliance with the rules that provide for precise measures towards the environment, such as for example the low energy impact and the circularity of the raw materials used, but also professional training.”

Open-air: the green and sustainable holiday

“After two years of pandemic, today the data tell us that there is a desire to return to travel with the tendency to favor open-air activities, to take holidays in a greener and more sustainable way, in contact with nature, paying more attention also to health and safety,” commented Federico Caner. “The en plein air tourism segment is confirmed as one of the favorite ways of vacationing in Italy, but above all also in Veneto. A trend that seems to be confirmed also for the next season, which shows signs of recovery that particularly affect the camping segment. En plein air tourism in Veneto will be able to drive the national trend towards outdoor tourism: in fact, between 45 and 48 million tourists are expected to choose open-air holidays during the Italian summer 2022. Now, the task of public institutions is to accompany this restart of tourism with policies capable of favoring the evolution of the model of tourism development known before the pandemic. A new vision is needed to accompany the restart of the entire regional tourism chain“.

3 billion in direct turnover and 3 billion in related revenues

The sector, including campsites and tourist villages, counts at a national level 2,650 companies, 1,430,000 beds of daily accommodation capacity, 150,000 employees (including related industries), 69 million annual visitors, €3 billion direct revenues and another €3 billion induced. Half of the arrivals are foreign tourists. In the Northeast, between Veneto and Friuli, the 210 active companies offer 258,000 beds, of which 215,000 are from FAITA members, employ 8,500 employees and produce 20,200,000 guests, with €1,1 billion in turnover and the equivalent in related activities. Foreign presences in the two regions are more consistent than the Italian average, reaching 70%.

An evening of networking and fun

At the end of the conference, an aperitif sponsored by Crippaconcept was held inside the Cavallino Estate at Ca’ Pasquali, which finally saw the sector find itself in a pleasant and constructive atmosphere, under the banner of networking with the desire to make system, even within FAITA. The evening then continued with a dinner at the table enlivened by dance performances and live music: a perfect conclusion to an event of value in its form and content.