AGI – Foreign tourists almost absent in Italy. A lack of spending of about 13 billion euros, only in the months of July-August and September, precisely with 13 billion and 734 million euros in hand. It can be read in a note from Confcommercio. Almost 80% less presences in 5-star hotels, in particular, foreign tourists are especially missing (-91.2%) who for high-end structures are the main component of demand.
The cities of art tested by the lockdown
According to Federalberghi-Confcommercio, the main habits of luxury hotels come from the United States, Japan, Russia, Australia, Brazil and China. All markets closed for over 5 months during which almost 9 million overnight stays went up in smoke, about 40% of the flows that these countries generate each year towards Italian 5-star hotels. To suffer the most, the cities of art which, with their high percentage of internationalization, are the ones that most attract tourists in the luxury segment.
Among the great destinations of international tourism there are not only provincial capitals, explains Confcommercio. For example, Sorrento hosts 2.4 million foreign visitors every year, equal to 88% of the total, Stresa 480 thousand foreign visitors (85% of the total), Taormina (900 thousand, 84%) and Montecatini Terme (1.2 million, 73%). If there are no tourists, all the induced collapses accordingly.
Restaurants in trouble
Catering for example: according to Fipe-Confcommercio for more than eight out of ten companies (81.8% to be precise) the tourist season is going badly or very badly, and this is mainly due to the absence of foreign tourists (to complain about the lack is 97.4%). The contraction in international tourism translates into a 3 billion euro loss in catering consumption in just three months of July, August and September.
The greatest concern among operators, particularly in the luxury segment, is above all the lack of tourist flows from the United States and Japan.
The crisis of made in Italy
Made in Italy shopping linked to foreign tourism is also at the expense, which represents the third item of expenditure after accommodation and catering, and their absence will translate into a loss of 5.7 billion. To be clear, for the clothing and accessories sector Federmodaitalia-Confcommercio recorded an average receipt of 861 euros in 2019. Of particular concern is the lack of Chinese (28%), Russians (12%) and Americans (11%) who, together, accounted for over 50% of purchases.
The highest average receipt, equal to 1,610 euros, is the prerogative of buyers from Hong Kong. Followed by the Chinese (1,208 euros), the Americans (1,054 euros) and tourists from the Gulf countries (1,003 euros). Even the “neighboring” Switzerland contributes with a percentage of purchases of the total of 3% (just over 200 million euros), with an average pre-Covid receipt of 434 euros. Milan ranks first among tourist shoppers with 34% of purchases made by foreigners in Italy, followed by Rome (20%), Florence (10%) and Venice (6%).
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