Tourism Crucial to Economic Well-being of Italy, Spain, and Greece, Study Finds

A recent study by Mabrian underscores the significant economic contribution of tourism to Italy, Spain, and Greece. Italy sees a substantial 13% contribution to its GDP from tourism, Spain closely follows with 12%, and Greece surpasses both with 21%. The study explores key indicators shaping tourism trends and analyzes how tourists perceive the climate in these Mediterranean destinations.

In global rankings, Italy ranks second among European destinations and third worldwide for 2022 according to the ICCA ranking, indicating its strength in both leisure and business tourism. Italy's tourism sector exhibits marked seasonality, with the summer playing a pivotal role in its annual trajectory. The study reveals a concentration of international expenses in June and September, accounting for 50% of total costs.

Spain experiences a similar trend, with 47% of global spending recorded in the summer months, while January to April accounts for only 21%. Greece's four winter months collectively contribute 20% of international spending. The study shows that products highly dependent on climate and good weather are among the most discussed interests on social media, with nature and sports-related activities representing a significant portion.

In Italy, 11% of social media mentions in 2022 center around the "sea and sun" product, surpassing the 2019 figure of 9%. In Greece, 54% of social network mentions attribute significance to nature, beaches, and sports, while in Spain, the quartet of nature, sports, sun, and sea constitutes 42% of social media discussions in 2022.

The climatic dynamics of Italy, Spain, and Greece reveal marked changes, with a drop in climate perception points in 2022 compared to the previous year. Despite this, overall visitor satisfaction in Italy for 2022 exceeded that of the previous year, driven by positive evaluations of products, satisfying hospitality experiences, and an increased sense of security.

A detailed examination of flight searches by Italians indicates a shift in preferences toward destinations in Northern Europe from 2019 to 2023. Flight searches for Sweden increased by 13%, while those for Spain witnessed a decrease of 22%, suggesting a potential transformation in Italians' holiday destination choices.

The study underscores the integral link between tourism and the economic vitality of these Mediterranean countries, emphasizing the need for strategic planning and adaptability in the face of changing tourism trends.

By fLEXI tEAM