GfK Sinottica: 5 Holiday Styles to imagine the Italian Summer after Covid-19

Almost half of Italians are looking forward to taking a trip, and regardless of expense. This is revealed by the data of the Covid-19 Tracking GfK Consumer Insight, a survey carried out on a representative sample of Italians between 16 and 65. The reporting period was from 18 to 24 May and refers to the behavior of the previous week.

It is easy to imagine that the 2020 holidays will be different from the past ones: some people will not be able to leave and others – due to personal fears or legal restrictions – will have to be satisfied to some extent, choosing from a range of possibilities that is smaller or otherwise different from the usual. However, there are some character and behavioral traits that characterize people and that will influence the way in which Italians will organize their holidays after Covid-19.

GfK Sinottica summarized these traits in the Holiday styles: 5 different approaches to the “travel & holiday” world that distinguish the Italian tourist population. These styles have been defined over the past 14 years and provide detailed information on each group.

The Traveler Style represents 27.3% of the total vacationers, equal to about 6.5 million individuals. It is the style of the middle age groups with good economic resources. It demonstrates an accentuated dynamism and a developed interest in culture. The holiday, purely Summer and low cost, is lived in an adventurous way and must offer opportunities for reflection and cultural stimuli.

5.6 million individuals, or 23.7% of vacationers, form the Tourist Style. This group gathers individuals of different ages and well represents the Italian family. He experiences the holiday as an opportunity for recreation, fun, but also as a form of conviviality and family gathering.

The Vacationer Style, embodied by a mainly elderly public and with an average income, is made up of 21.7% of the total holiday makers, equal to about 5.2 million individuals. These are not very dynamic people and they take refuge in their habits in search of tranquility. Even the holiday is spent in a customary way, in known places and where, in many cases, you own a home.

The most advanced and informed public of holiday makers (18.9%, equal to about 4.5 million individuals) is found in the Voyager Style. They are people looking for adventure and emotions. The interest in culture and the desire to be informed about everything are the engines that drive them to travel the world and the ingredients that cannot be missing from their holidays. The service takes on a secondary aspect: knowing how to manage is one of the ingredients of the trip!

Finally, the Cushy Style concerns 8.3% of the total holiday maker, equal to about 2 million individuals. It is the group that more than others attaches value to quality service and who wants to enjoy life without compromise. He loves being well and therefore requires comfortable solutions. Little enterprising, he relies on security brokers to make decisions.

“In the particular context of the 2020 holidays, these styles provide a starting point for marketing and communication strategies, even more than usual“, comments Mara Galbiati, Product Lead of the Solution Media Measurement in GfK. “For example, a Voyager will continue to seek adventure and excitement on his holidays, although he will have a more limited number of destinations to choose from. If you want to attract this target it is important to understand it in depth and know what and how to communicate, to keep your offer relevant and attractive, even if different from that of previous years.”

GfK Sinottica is an integrated information system unique in the Italian and international scene, which for over 40 years has been supporting companies in segmenting the market, optimizing marketing and communication strategies and verifying the results of these activities. Sinottica is based on a “single source” approach: thousands of information are collected continuously from the same individual, relating to its characteristics, its values, attitudes and orientations in different areas of action.