This Summer, 27 million airport arrivals are expected. The country has a strong international appeal

A scientific model that combines tourism and sustainability was presented today in Rome at the headquarters of the Italian Tourism Agency (Enit). The study, conducted by "Sapienza" University, stems from the need to assess the impact of tourism not only in terms of arrivals and departures, but also considering its effects on the region and local communities. The sector is currently growing in Italy: 27 million airport arrivals are expected this summer, and over €10 billion has already been invested in bookings. AVIONEWS attended the event, which also provided an opportunity to assess summer tourist demand, looking ahead to the coming months.

According to a press release from the agency, "the initial estimates for the current summer show more than positive numbers: the latest survey of Italian hospitality businesses, conducted by Isnart (National institute for tourism research) for Unioncamere and Enit as part of the Chambers of Commerce's observatory on the Tourism Economy, shows that 8 out of 10 rooms are already booked (with a peak in August) and that hotel bookings are expected to generate a turnover of 14.7 billion Euro (between June and September). This represents more bookings than in 2019, the last pre-Covid year, with advance sales already approaching 80% for the month of August, set to grow in the coming weeks until reaching at least 90% saturation for the peak summer period; July (70% bookings) and September (60%) also performed well.

Italian hospitality operators are reporting significant advance sales for all of the Summer's top destinations: 77.4% of available rooms for seaside vacations, 76.6% for mountain vacations, 71.9% for art cities, and 75.5% for inland areas dedicated to green tourism are already booked for August. The booking trend for Autumn also appears positive: by the end of June, 43% of reservations had already been made for October stays, with peaks of 51% for spa resorts and 47% for art cities. This is an important sign, demonstrating Italy's attractiveness and ability to adapt seasonally, offering year-round tourism experiences.

Italy's strong appeal to international tourism is confirmed, growing at a faster rate than the domestic component: Germany, France, the Usa, Switzerland, and Canada remain the main growing markets; in particular, 21% of operators in lakeside resorts and 18% of those in spa resorts report growth in foreign clientele. These figures are confirmed by airport arrival forecasts, which estimate approximately 19 million arrivals from abroad. The Jubilee confirms its positive effect on visitor flows: the event is also providing an important showcase for neighboring regions, particularly Marche and Umbria, leaders in religious tourism. It's no coincidence that sales growth in the first six months of the year compared to 2024 is 30% in Lazio, Marche, and Umbria, reaching nearly 50% in Umbria alone, which likely benefits from the strong appeal of the Rome-Assisi axis, including on the international market.

With Italy once again the top destination for tourists, both Italian and international, hospitality businesses are proving capable of meeting the sustainability challenge: the majority of establishments, in fact, are not particularly concerned about the phenomenon of overtourism. In fact, a residual percentage of responding businesses, equal to 10%, expresses concern: 9 out of 10 establishments are able to manage peak demand in a manner consistent with the principles of economic and social sustainability of the supply chain. And speaking of sustainability, Enit Spa and the University of Rome - "La Sapienza" today presented the new scientific model between tourism and sustainability, also presenting the first focus on the city of Rome, in the presence of Enit director general, Elena Nembrini, Carlotta Baccaro, head of major events, tourism and fashion for the Municipality of Rome, Paolo Bulleri, director of the area for economic and social research on tourism and cultural phenomena at Isnart/Unioncamere, Fabiola Sfodera, associate professor at the Department of communication and social research - "La Sapienza", Antonio Renzi, full professor of economics and business management - "La Sapienza" and Cristina Simone, professor in the management department - "La Sapienza".

'Tourism is one of the main drivers for our country, capable of generating value in the regions. We work daily with all the players in the sector to enhance Italy's unique qualities. We are achieving excellent results, even extending the season, already recording an increase in autumn bookings. Foreign markets are looking with interest at Italy and the experiences we can offer, reconciling everything with sustainability, as demonstrated by the new scientific model developed by La Sapienza University', commented Ivana Jelinic, ceo of Enit SpA.

'Culture is, let's remember, the primary reason for tourists to vacation in Italy. Art cities are less affected by seasonality, and even better are those that can boast a Unesco site within their territory (1 in 4 tourists declares having visited at least one Unesco World Heritage site during their stay in Italy),' emphasizes Loretta Credaro, president of Isnart. 'It is no coincidence that the Chamber of Commerce system has strongly focused on the special Mirabilia project, on which Isnart is currently working with 21 Chambers of Commerce. Its strategic objective is to connect tourism analysis, development, and promotion activities with those of enhancing Unesco sites and Italy's cultural heritage, starting with the theme of sustainable development of cultural destinations. Credaro continues, 'The focus on sustainability through the implementation of the most modern monitoring tools capable of analyzing data down to the municipal level has led Isnart to develop a dedicated tool for the Chamber of Commerce system, thanks to an academic partnership. This tool, called Sustainability, is capable of assessing a destination's tourist carrying capacity, looking at the economic, social, and environmental components'". 

The interview with the general director Elena Nembrini will follow on this AVIONEWS Agency.