(Finance) – “Nel 2023 the Tourism sector in Italy confirms the strong recovery of last year and finally returns to show growth on the absolute value of 2019, i.e. the last year before the travel restrictions due to the pandemic. The phenomenon is still driven by eCommerce, which reaches 16.9 billion euros in the transport sector (71% of the total expenditure) and 19.4 billion in the hospitality sector (54% of the total)”, this is what emerges a TTG Travel Experiencein the annual event in which l‘Travel Innovation Observatory of the School of Management of Politecnico di Milano presents the results of the research aimed at outlining the value of digital in the travel industry ei innovation trend of the offer of tourist services.
Transports
In 2023, the Transport sector is worth overall (as the sum of online and offline in the three components incoming, domestic and outgoing) 23.7 billion euroswith growth of +41% on 2022 but above all +9% on 2019. eCommerce played a primary rolegrowing faster than the total market (+50% on 2022 if we compare online purchases only) and representing 71% of the overall value of the sector.
“To date, we can say that the transport sector has significantly exceeded the values of the pre-pandemic period, in particular with regard to car rental for tourist purposes and air travel, with both sectors growing by 13% compared to 2019 mainly due to the increase in tariffs which, in some cases, have even doubled compared to 2022. The only slight data going against the trend is that of land transport (trains and buses)essentially stable compared to four years ago, thanks to the return of long-distance travel” he states Filippo RengaDirector of the Travel Innovation Observatory of the Polytechnic of Milan.
The accommodation facilities
Even the hospitality sector, considering both incoming and domestic flows, reaches 35.8 billion, up 11% compared to 2022exceeding the 2019 level by 7%. In this context eCommerce reaches 19.4 billion euros (2.9 billion more than in 2022), representing overall 54% of the sector in value.
Organized tourism
The recovery is confirmed here too, although the tour operating values (excluding cruises) are still slightly lower than 2019 (-2%). Travel agencies that managed to overcome the pandemic period, however, recorded a +2% of transactions for 2023 compared to 2019.
“The encouraging data that we can observe today, although partly fueled by an increase in prices especially of long-haul carriers, derives from the recovery of incoming and outgoing tourism, as well as from a partial recovery of business travel. The digital channel proves itselfonce again, a carrier and favorite element both by travelers and operators. The latter also demonstrate a strong sensitivity towards the social and environmental issues of sustainability, which are redefining business models in the name of the so-called twin transition, where green and digital go hand in hand” concludes Eleonora LorenziniDirector of the Travel Innovation Observatory of the Polytechnic of Milan.