TOURISM IN ITALY, ENIT: GROWTH IN WELLNESS TRAVEL
10 November 2022
PRESS RELEASE
TOURISM IN ITALY, ENIT: GROWTH IN WELLNESS TRAVEL
HALF OF TOUR OPERATORS FOCUS ON BENEFITS OF CONTACT WITH NATURE
TOURISTS WANT TO TREAT THEMSELVES: MASSAGES AND BEAUTY TREATMENTS ARE TRAVELLERS' TOP CHOICES
On the hunt for experiences to feel good. This is the trend among travellers, as seen in research conducted by ENIT.
In the aftermath of the pandemic, well-being has become more important in travel.
The trend emerges clearly among tourists in the Bel Paese (winter 2021-2022). ‘46% percent of travellers combine sport with other nature-based activities on holiday. And 22% practice an activity related to wellness during their holiday, with spas in the lead (34%) followed by massages, thermal baths and beauty treatments,’ says Roberta Garibaldi, managing director of ENIT. ‘Wellness has a growing role in the development of the tourism economy. Half of the operators in the sector see this segment, together with nature, slow tourism and sports tourism, among the important values for the Italian accommodation offer,’ concludes Garibaldi.
This opens new scenarios and opportunities under the banner of sustainability. Natural resources are among the main reasons for travellers' satisfaction. Contact with nature is mentioned by tourists (37%) as the aspect that most influenced their psychophysical well-being during their holiday (winter 2021/2022).
Accommodation businesses also consider nature-based tourism (46.6%), right after family tourism (49.2%), to be the strong point of their tourism offer. In particular, non-hotel establishments (49.7%) compared to hotels (40.8%). Nature tourism is the prerogative of the offer which about 47% of companies in the sector focus on for the future.
Italy has much to offer and can take advantage of this growing trend. It is the European country with the largest number of spa resorts, mainly due to its particular geological setting, rich in volcanic phenomena. Actions to support the sector cannot fail to take into account the elements that contribute to the tourism product: institutions, communications and promotions, sales channels, product offers, accommodations, infrastructures, training, investments and regulatory frameworks.
Francesca Cicatelli
ENIT Press Office
Mob: (+39) 392.9225216
e-mail: francesca.cicatelli@enit.it