Outdoor tourism on the rise, but half of Italians are giving up on vacation.

Some have already packed their bags, while others have long since put them away. Summer 2025 reveals a double truth: on the one hand, 34 million Italians—57% of the population—are taking or will take at least one vacation between June and September. On the other, however, there remains a significant segment—43%—who are forgoing summer vacations altogether , either by choice or, more likely, necessity.

This is what emerges from the first data from the Open Air Tourism Observatory created by Human Company , a leader in open-air tourism, in collaboration with the Piepoli Institute .

Summer tourism data: who's going on vacation and who's giving up.

A divided Italy , then, which also reflects unrelenting economic and social tensions. While the desire to leave remains strong, a large segment of citizens are struggling to find even a few days of leisure.

Among the strongest trends for summer 2025 is the continued success of outdoor tourism , meaning everything that revolves around campsites, villages, glamping, and holidays in close contact with nature. This increasingly popular choice is not only due to its generally lower costs compared to the best hotels , but also for the authentic experiences it offers.

According to the Human Company Observatory, a full 82% of those who prefer out-of-town tourism have already planned or will plan a trip during the summer months.

This is a particularly motivated segment of the public, often linked to families, young couples, and experiential travelers, who seek out lesser-known destinations and alternatives to crowded tourist destinations and prefer more sustainable, green, and flexible environments.

The trend isn't new, but it's growing stronger year after year. After the pandemic, this type of tourism has exploded and continues to meet the demand of those who want to travel on a budget without sacrificing comfort and freedom.

Its ability to adapt to different targets and offer modular formulas makes it a concrete response to the purchasing power crisis.

Tourism is a mirror of a changing Italy

While 34 million Italians are leaving, at least 26 million are staying put. According to the Observatory's data, 43% of the population is skipping summer vacations: a fact that cannot be ignored.

The reasons behind this choice (or rather, renunciation) are many:

• persistent inflation;
• the high prices in the tourism and transport sectors;
• the growing weight of fixed expenses (rent, mortgages, bills);
• job insecurity;
• the difficulties of single-income families.

The data takes on even more significance when compared with the historic nature of Italian holiday behavior, a population traditionally tied to the concept of summer holidays as an unmissable moment , today increasingly forced to remain on the margins of this custom.

In particular, young people with precarious employment, low-income pensioners, and large families are the ones who suffer most from this exclusion. It's not just an economic issue, but also a social and cultural one: those who don't leave often do so not by choice, but because they can't.

The overall figure—57% of Italians on vacation—is certainly positive when viewed from the perspective of tourism businesses. But the picture remains mixed. While visitor flows remain stable, inequalities in access to vacations are becoming increasingly pronounced.