Few Foreigners in Italy, the Low Season Now at Risk

Data from searches in the booking engines of Italian accommodation facilities reveal that foreign tourists account for about one-third of the total (36%), while the majority of demand comes from the domestic market. And the low season is now at risk.

The low influx of foreign tourists in the Bel Paese unfortunately reflects a well-known characteristic of post-pandemic tourism. So far, it has been perceived mainly as a concern by destinations that traditionally boast a high degree of internationalization, such as art cities or lake resorts. Today, however, the scarcity of the foreign market also weighs on other types of destinations, such as seaside resorts, considering that foreign tourists are the main actors of our low season.

The majority of foreigners are Germans

The most active market is certainly the German one, which accounts for 13% of total searches, while all other markets have a weight below 5%.

The presence of Germans in Italy is typically concentrated in the northern part of the country and this trend is confirmed again this year: tourists are mainly looking for overnight stays in the Provinces of Verona (28%), Brescia (10%), and Trento (9%), specifically in municipalities overlooking Lake Garda. Germans are also interested in art cities, but the most desired destination is the Province of Venice (15%); followed by the Province of Siena (2%) and Florence (2%). There is little demand for seaside destinations.

Weekend Searches

Regarding arrival dates, searches by German tourists mainly refer to weekend stays. Considering trips with arrivals from August 16 to October 31, as much as 50% of searches are for weekends: 13% of searches are for the weekend of August 20-22, 12% for August 27-29, and 8% for the first weekend of September. However, it should be noted that Germans seem to be the only ones interested in visiting Italy during the low season: both Italians and the remaining foreign markets almost abruptly cease their searches after Ferragosto.

The French Love Art Cities

The French (our second most active foreign market) also have little intention of staying in Italy during the low season: of all the beds searched, 61% are for stays before August 31, while those for September and October account for 31% and 8%, respectively.

The French have a more evenly distributed geographical presence across the territory, but their most desired destinations are definitely art cities: the top choices include destinations in the Province of Venice (11%), Florence (6%), Naples (5%), and Verona (5%). Additionally, destinations that are easily accessible for them, such as the Provinces of Genoa, Imperia, and northern Sardinia, are very popular.