Cars in line (Ansa)

  • There are 7 million Italians who cannot afford holidays

  • Slow recovery for the holidays, many cancellations and more may come.

    Weighs the Delta variant

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07 August 2021The only black sticker weekend for the intense traffic of the summer 2021 starts with over 4 Italian adults out of 10 (41%) who this year have chosen the month of August to go on vacation with the rise of the infections and the 'entry into force of the green pass.

This is what emerges from the Coldiretti / Ixè survey - as reported by LaPresse - on the occasion of the first weekend of great exodus in August in which the highest traffic volumes of the summer are expected, with a forecast of maximum criticality from the black and red sticker according to the service plan for the 2021 summer exodus of Viabilità Italia.



The pandemic has delayed departures and accentuated - underlines Coldiretti - the all-national tendency to concentrate holidays in the month of August which is by far the most popular of the summer with 20.8 million Italians who have chosen it, despite a slight decrease compared to last year (-1%). However - Coldiretti estimates - about 4 million foreign tourists are missing with overnight stays from abroad during the month, which practically halved compared to the same period before the pandemic, with the resumption of infections and travel limitations that have greatly reduced the initial optimistic forecasts.



In addition to blocking foreign holidaymakers, the persistence of the health emergency still pushes almost 1 in 3 Italians (32%) to choose a half close to home, within their region of residence.An important slice of traveling citizens has therefore opted - underlines Coldiretti - for holidays close to the rediscovery of the beauties under the house but in any case the national destinations are preferred by almost all citizens for the desire to support the tricolor tourism but also for the limits and uncertainties present abroad.



If the beach - explains Coldiretti - remains the favorite destination, with the concern of gatherings, tourism in the mountains is growing and the rediscovery of small villages and minor centers in the Italian countryside, as an alternative to the most popular tourist destinations, while the presence in the cities collapses . The majority of Italians traveling - explains Coldiretti - have chosen to reopen their second homes, or to stay in those of relatives and friends or for rent, but in the ranking of preferences there are pensions and hotels and very popular are farmhouses which, often located in isolated areas,in family structures with a limited number of beds and tables and large spaces in the green are perhaps the places where it is easier to ensure compliance with safety measures to defend against contagion outside the home.



Among the favorite entertainment of Italian and foreign tourists - concludes Coldiretti - alongside art, tradition, relaxation and pure fun, there is the search for local food and wine which has become the first item of the Made in Italy holiday budget in the 2021 with about 1/3 of consumption expenditure in restaurants, street food or for the purchase of souvenirs.