(Finance) – After complicated years, tourism is back on track, perhaps even stronger than before. Italians get back on the road and in 2023 the average budget for holidays grows, which stands at around 1,900 euros. This is what emerges from the Observatory dedicated to travel and holidays published by Compass on the occasion of the new edition of the International Tourism Exchange – BIT 2023 scheduled from 12 to 14 February at the Allianz Mico in Milan.
The 2023 edition will be inaugurated on Sunday 12 February, at 11 Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanchè. Once the ribbon has been cut, the Minister will visit the stands present and will inaugurate the Enit stand at 12.15. At 4 pm there will be a high-profile international round table promoted by MiTur, on tourism and future goals of sustainable tourism.
This year to support the spending capacity – notes theCompass Observatory – there will also be the Buy Now Pay Later, a form of payment that Millennials especially like and those who want to treat themselves to a few trips or extra services. Tranquility and relaxation are the watchwords of a tourism which, in 2022, had our peninsula as its favorite destination, most often in a region other than that of origin. Regardless of the destination, Italians are rather organized and self-sufficient in planning, with the older sections of the population preferring to contact travel agencies.
The household spending budget In detail, the spending budget of families for traveling during the year will be 1,930 euros, with an increase of 482 euros on 2022. More than a third of Italians (36%) intend to take a holiday more often and, to do so, is ready to break through the ceiling of 2,000 euros, arriving at a cost of around 2,400 euros. For almost half of the sample (49%) traveling is the best way to use the time available, followed by those who would like to devote themselves more often to cooking (40%) and those who would listen to more music and go to more concerts (38%) or at the cinema (33%).
Buy Now Pay Later – The Buy Now Pay Later – highlights the study – can be an important help for many families. Awareness of this new form of payment is now consolidated, in fact about half of the interviewees (42%) know what they are talking about, a percentage that rises in the North (46%), among young people of Gen Z (48%) and among the Millennials (51%). In general, the BNPL is appreciated as a tool to support the management of the budget dedicated to holidays, with over half of Italians deeming it useful (52%). Millennials, in particular, prove to be the real promoters of this type of payment and also consider it a valid incentive to travel more in 2023.
The travel habits of Italians – Italians are more interested in tranquility and the slow passage of time. It is no coincidence that wandering around the centers of villages and cities is considered by 41%, with a peak of 51% for Gen Z, the fundamental ingredient of an ideal holiday. For many it is even essential to be able to devote oneself to complete relaxation and sweet doing nothing (24%). Walks and excursions, getting in touch with new cultures and traditions, visiting museums and dedicating yourself to food and wine are the other elements considered key for a successful holiday. Generationally, Boomers really enjoy traveling with friends (66%), while Gen Z favor an experience based on exploration (56%). Even when it comes to travel, doing it yourself does it for three or at least that’s what the Italians demonstrate with their habits in organizing holidays. 54% book everything themselves, from transportation to activities and accommodation. Almost a third, 28%, turn instead to travel agencies, even if seniors are much more used to doing so: between Gen Silent and Boomer it reaches 66%. At the other extreme, 1 out of 10 Italians travels but doesn’t organize anything except transport. For those who plan ahead, bookings are made on average 11 weeks in advance, about 3 months, with 25% preferring last minute bookings (no more than 2 weeks in advance). The most foresighted? It is the Millennials (32%) who plan their holidays about 6 months in advance.
“Italians have always been eager to travel and discover new places, even more so after a prolonged period of restrictions – he commented Luigi Pace, Central Director of Marketing & Innovation of Compass –. Our Observatory shows an increase in the spending budget for 2022, with a preference for relaxing and peaceful travel. The comparison between generations is interesting: the Boomers prove to be more flexible in planning, often entrusted to travel agencies, while the younger ones, such as Gen Z and the Millennials, prefer DIY, exploration and advance planning. Even when it comes to organizing a trip, a payment formula such as Buy Now Pay Later, which allows expenses to be spread over time at no cost, can act as a driving force for the desire to leave, providing valid support to the entire tourism sector “.