How many times have you debated with your friends on the long -standing “sea or mountain” question? The sea has the fantastic value of relaxation, bathrooms, games with friends on the beach. The mountain, for its part, offers that unbeatable fresh air for those who live in the city.
The Study Center of the Italian Touring Club Try to give an answer regarding the preferences of Italians, or at least of those who respond to their survey. This year he wins the sea with a surprising 44% of the preferences, in line with the result of last year and even higher than that of 2019. The mountain is growing, but must be satisfied with 19% of the answers. Following, the cities of art with 17% and rural destinations and villages with 9%.
For foreign tourists who come to Italy, cities of art win, but the preference between sea and mountains remains similar to that of the Italians themselves.
The survey of the Italian Touring Club It also investigates other aspects of the preferences of Italians on summer holidays.
As for the departure period, 31% of travel is scheduled for July, while 29% in August. A fact that could surprise, considering the traditional centrality of August on summer holidays. In June 19% of Italians start, while 16% choose September. Both months, placed at the extremes of summer, record a growth, perhaps testifying to a tendency to avoid the very high season and to contain costs.
As for the travel company, 71% of the respondents say they leave with the family, 20% with friends and 9% travel alone. The latter mode is growing strongly, also thanks to the spread of organizations that offer group trips for individuals or independent travelers.
A further aspect to consider before summer departures concerns the management of pets. 26% of the respondents to the survey say they have this type of problem: among them, only a third chooses to bring the animal with them, while the remaining two thirds leave him at home. Unfortunately, despite the awareness campaigns, the phenomenon of abandonment shows no sign of disappearing: every year in Italy the abandonment of about 50,000 cats and 80,000 dogs is estimated.
As for the methods of accommodation, hotels and villages remain at the top of the preferences, while recording a slight drop. In second place, growing, there are the apartments for rent, an increasingly appreciated solution thanks to low costs and the reliability guaranteed by the numerous online platforms. The second houses follow and, down, the campsites.
Finally, among the tools used for the organization of the holidays, artificial intelligence also emerges: 3% of the respondents said they had used it to plan their journey. A percentage still limited, but which testifies to the entry of new technologies also into the tourism sector.
