Sun, sea and protected environment. The holidaymaker takes care of the first two, the State takes care of the second. Surveys and research on Italians' holiday preferences are in fashion in these scorching days. The country has not yet stopped for the summer break but Altroconsumo informs us that only for a part of Italians sustainability is a guiding factor in choosing the place of summer rest. The news is not at all exciting despite the hypergreen Italians. Indeed, only 27% of compatriots actively (?) seek solutions responsible tourism. A clean environment doesn't make much of an impression on others, perhaps because they already live in compromised environments. And it would be a nice aggravating factor.
Overtourism suffocates us
These data were released because Altroconsumo launched the campaign "Commit to Change” to make the relaxation market less invasive on the territories and, needless to say, more scrupulous. Now, if it is true that the holiday industry has worked hard to be greener, as well as on the page, the economic turnover this summer exceeds 2 billion euros. All the anxieties about the cost of living, bills, collapsing healthcare, remain out of the suitcase when you leave and go to spend predestined money. Here, however, as Italians we also suffer from another phenomenon: overtourism. Ordinary mortals are stunned by the too many presences, in some places trumpeted by the media and TV. Shopkeepers, hoteliers, restaurateurs and street vendors are rubbing their hands. More recent research estimates that 70% of tourists now focus on 1% of the territory with consequences that we can all imagine. In the same research Altroconsumo finds that 31% of Italians are well aware of the problem and double the interviewees believe that what bothers them are rude tourists. Italians or foreigners? Go find out.
After difficult years, Italy has started attracting foreigners again and we don't regret it. But putting together the two most evident data from the Altroconsumo survey - environment and overtourism - at this rate we will not have many more summers to enjoy. Unless the mayors impose high taxes on tourists, regardless of their behavior. The only thing that really causes revolutions.
