The Romagna Riviera is in crisis, the causes: "Different habits and less money in your pockets."

Rimini, August 9, 2025 – Last year, many blamed the return of slime . This summer, the sea has been sparkling clean , the weather has been favorable so far, yet the Riviera beaches are sluggish. Romagna is in crisis , as is many other Italian seaside resorts. After a positive start in June, July has seen more shadows than lights. And August, the peak month of the season, has been no exception so far: few people at the beach from Monday to Friday, and crowds only on weekends.

With just a few days left until mid-August , the word "crisis" is already hovering over the Romagna Riviera . Are the seaside holidays of the past gone?

"First of all, I'd say to stay calm. It's right to address problems and find solutions, knowing that accurate analyses can only be done at the end of the season...", argues Roberta Frisoni , Emilia-Romagna's Tourism Councilor.

You'll admit that the images of Riviera beaches with so many empty umbrellas in August aren't the best postcard for Romagna.

I'd start by saying that for years we've been witnessing a shift in beach tourism: crowded weekends and slower start to the week. This year, if anything, the entire beach tourism sector, and beyond, in Italy is experiencing a challenging period, primarily due to declining purchasing power. We've experienced a July that is highlighting a very clear phenomenon: a marked decline in Italian tourists and an increase in foreign tourists. In a challenging landscape across Italy, our coast has held up much better than its competitors: this isn't an official defense. Instead, let's reflect on the causes.

Are Italians going on holiday to Romagna less often because beach prices have gone up, or because they have less to spend?

The consumer crisis is the main cause. Italians have less money in their pockets than in the past, and vacations are among the first expenses they cut or reduce. The other day, Confcommercio's research office showed in its report that Italian families' mandatory expenses now represent 42.2% of total spending. This is a 5.2% increase compared to 1995, when mandatory expenses stood at 37%. We're talking about about €3,000 less in the budget for an average family. But we need to take into account another phenomenon.

Which?

Some commentators are surprised that in 2025, long holidays lasting two or three weeks will no longer be taken, but this has been a phenomenon for some time. For example, in Rimini, 50 years ago, the average stay was about 13 days, but by 1985, it was already just over five days. This awareness has been present in our region for years, and efforts have been made to deseasonalize holidays through public and private investments.

Shorter holidays also due to prices?

I challenge anyone in Italy to find another seaside resort with such a favorable price-to-service ratio as Romagna. And it's not just the beach: we have excellent services, many clubs, concerts, and free events. The government should do something to put more money in Italians' pockets.

Yet July went badly and August didn't start well.

"We're talking about a crisis in July, even though official data is still missing. The first half of the year went well, with the Riviera resorts attracting over 10 million visitors, with arrivals and stays expected to increase in 2024. And the number of foreign visitors has increased, thanks in part to the new flights from Rimini Airport, in which we are investing to promote the routes."

The signs for August?

"Good, definitely. It will be in line with 2024. We're heading into two weeks where the indicators are decidedly positive. And with all the events scheduled—the CL Meeting in Rimini, the Italian Bike Festival and MotoGP in Misano, and the Ironman in Cervia—we also have good forecasts for the end of the month and for September."