How Italy is taking money out of tourists’ pockets

Rome: If you want to go on holiday in Italy, you increasingly have to dig deeper into your wallet. More and more locals are switching to other countries because they simply can no longer afford holidays in their own country. This is the conclusion of a study by Italian consumer advocates. According to their research, holidays in Italy have become 15 to 20 per cent more expensive when transport, accommodation and meals are added together.

The prices of lidos are often cited as a concrete example of how expensive holidays are now. This summer, visitors will have to pay an average of four per cent more than last year for a complete set of beach equipment (parasol, deckchair and cabin).

According to the “Kurier “, the cost of a week at a lido depends on several factors. For example, the month. Prices are slightly lower until mid-July, then it’s high season until the end of August and there’s a hefty surcharge. Another factor is how exclusive the lido is and what it offers.

A magazine that reports on alternatives to mass consumption and deals with environmental issues recently calculated the beach prices along the boot from 4 to 10 August, i.e. in the high season.

Of the eleven resorts selected for the article, Alassio, north of Genoa, has the most expensive lidos. The average price for a week in this Ligurian holiday destination is 340 euros. For the first row with an unobstructed view of the sea, the price is as high as 392 euros. In contrast, Senigallia in central Italy offers the cheapest beach days. Although the price here has risen by six per cent compared to the previous year, the average price is 145 euros, with 155 euros for the front row.

It’s not just beach days that are expensive; food is also more of a burden on holidaymakers’ wallets than before. A small ice cream in an ice cream parlour with a view of the Trevi Fountain in Rome, for example, is not available for less than five euros. Even a visit to a pizzeria is no longer as cheap as it used to be. Only in less touristy places can you get a Margherita pizza for less than ten euros.

The fact that fewer and fewer locals are holidaying in Italy due to rising prices need not concern the tourism industry. Instead, more guests are coming from abroad. According to a booking platform, eleven per cent more foreign travellers are expected this summer than last year.