(Finance) – According to the latest study carried out by Skyscanner in France, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain, more than half of European respondents (52%) said they go on holiday in winter at least once a year: for Italians the percentage rises to 59%. One in five (19%) even prefer a winter holiday to a traditional summer holiday for a variety of reasons, including lower costs. In this regard, the majority (77%) expect to spend the same amount, if not more, on their holidays in 2024 compared to the previous year.
Italians against the tide: cultural winter holidays win
Only 29% of Italians who regularly take a winter break intend to practice snow sports, as opposed to 43% of European travelers who say they dedicate part of their annual holidays to skiing or snowboarding. In fact, in contrast to the European trend, Italian travelers prefer, even in winter, to dedicate themselves to the cultural exploration of cities and villages, with almost half (46%) choosing it as the main activity of their winter holidays (compared to 39% of Europeans).
Even for winter holidays, economic convenience remains at the top of the priorities
The factor that most influences the choice of how and where to spend the winter holidays remains the price (60%). In particular, those who decide to take a snow holiday rather than a warm holiday say they perceive the choice as the cheaper option (17%); while those who set out to discover a new destination, perhaps overseas, in a sunny country, justify their choice with a lower expense given the low season (15%). These percentages increase if we consider young people, with 69% of travelers between 18 and 34 years old choosing winter to visit distant destinations in the hope of saving money, compared to the usually more popular months.
Although the increase in the cost of living continues to be a concern for Italians, it is difficult to give up holidays and the majority (77%) still plan to spend the same budget as last year, if not more, on their holidays winter of 2024.
The trend of spontaneous travel continues: winter holidays are booked at the beginning of the year, without too much advance notice
The winter holidays also offer the perfect opportunity to beat the post-Christmas blues. More than a third (38%) prefer to organize at the last minute, rather than book in advance, in the hope of securing the latest offers. It is therefore not surprising that almost half (46%) of Italians plan to leave for their winter holidays at the beginning of the year.
“Whether they are small getaways to explore European cities or long journeys to discover distant destinations and cultures, Italians’ interest in travel is increasing year after year: to date, for example, it has grown by 46% compared to 2023 “, commented Stefano Maglietta, Skyscanner Travel Expert. “Although ski destinations remain a mainstay for many tourists, the desire to see new cities, challenging the low temperatures or chasing the warm climate, is slowly conquering us Italians too”.