Over 21 million Italians will be travelling over Easter and the long weekends around Liberation Day on April 25 and Labour Day on May 1, retail group Confcommercio said Friday saying the yen for travel had not been dampened by economic uncertainty linked to US President Donald Trump's tariffs.
Despite the general uncertainty fueled by the tariffs that risks influencing not only businesses, but also consumer confidence, Italians' desire to travel is growing, starting with the upcoming Easter holidays, followed closely by the spring long weekends, said the Confcommercio Tourism Observatory in collaboration with research institute SWG.
Vacation planning is at a more advanced stage than in the same period last year and the share of those who say they want to take a trip is clearly increasing.
There will be a total of over 27 million upcoming departures, considering those who have already planned more than one trip, taking advantage of the different combinations of long weekends and vacations).
They will be mainly short-medium term vacations, in the company of a partner.
Hotels and B&Bs are the preferred accommodations, although some people will prefer to stay in second homes and/or the homes of friends and relatives.
There will be a high preference for Italian destinations, especially seaside resorts and large cities.
Tuscany is the favorite destination for travelers for both short and long-term vacations, while those who have decided to explore a foreign destination will mainly go to Spain or France.
"The tourism numbers, in view of Easter and the upcoming long weekends," explains Manfred Pinzger, vice president of Confcommercio with responsibility for Tourism, "are encouraging and confirm a widespread desire to travel, especially within our country.
"However, in the face of this recovery, we cannot ignore the concerns related to tariffs which, in addition to generating uncertainty, are eroding the confidence of families and this could translate into a slowdown in demand.
"It is essential that the restart is not compromised by penalizing economic policies.
"We need a strategic vision that protects tourism and market services which are the 'engine' of growth in our country."
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