Italy's beach tourism in turmoil: Is it a struggling industry or an evolution of preferences?
In the heart of Rome, the dispute between the city and Brussels over the implementation of the Bolkestein directive continues, with one of the key issues being the high costs at beach clubs.
Antonello Chiappini, manager of Molto beach club in Ladispoli, is one of the individuals at the centre of this debate. He notes a decline in visitors, but this is not a new trend since the pandemic. For regular customers, the consistency in tariffs at the beach club is seen as a significant factor. According to Chiappini, tariffs at his beach club have remained stable since 2022.
However, the issue of high costs is a contentious one. Industry groups estimate a 30% decrease in visitor numbers to Italian beaches compared to last summer. Some associations blame the lack of regulation of tariffs for keeping costs high, while others, such as Federbalneari, share the view that the problem is not rising tariffs, with the average increase being around 20% since 2012.
The private concessions, which are long-held private licenses granted by state authorities for exclusive use of public beach areas, are often criticized for the high costs. These concessions, which create monopolies that control beach access and charge high prices for amenities like umbrellas and sunbeds, have been a point of contention in the debate.
Prices at certain beach clubs have spiked compared to previous years, as mentioned by customers. However, prices at others, like Chiappini's Molto beach club, have remained the same. An umbrella with two sun beds at Chiappini's beach club costs €25 per day, while an umbrella with one sun bed costs €18.
Rental prices, not beach club tariffs, are the main issue causing losses during the week, as per Chiappini. Since the pandemic, tourism in Italy has seen an increase over weekends compared to weekdays. This trend, according to Chiappini, is a contributing factor to the decline in visitors during the week.
A woman, who prefers to remain anonymous, shares that some beach clubs have moderate tariffs. However, the views of Chiappini and Federbalneari suggest that the industry disagrees over the real cause of the drop in visitors to Italian beaches.
The post-COVID inflation affecting the wider economy is considered more significant than the 20% increase in tariffs by some associations. The debate over high costs in Italian beach clubs is complex and multifaceted, with opinions divided among industry groups, beach club managers, and the general public.
