Panic in Italy as tourists abandon beaches

Italians are abandoning beach holidays in droves, leaving business owners to "count the sheep" on deserted coastlines. Every August, when the hottest temperatures batter Italy, families used to make a beeline for the coast to enjoy a relaxing holiday by the sea.

Last year, just over 80% of Italians chose to stay at the seaside, according to an analysis by Italian daily Repubblica, flocking to major beach destinations such as Sardinia, the Amalfi Coast and the Riviera Romagnola. But 2025 has seen a drastic drop in tourists heading to the coastal resorts - with numbers in some areas plummeting by 20% and 30%, according to data from tourism association Assobalneari. The collapse in numbers has left business owners along Italy's coast "twiddling their thumbs" and hoping for a change in fortunes before the summer ends.

"We're in the busiest tourist season of the year, but there aren't any people: we're here counting sheep," one beach establishment owner from Abruzzo told Italian media.

Many are pointing to the high cost of living and its impact on spending as a major cause for the decline of beach resorts.

It has become progressively more and more expensive to hire out sun loungers for the day, with the cost now on average 17% more than four years ago. Beaches in Lazio can charge up to €30 daily for two sun loungers and an umbrella, with the figure rising to €90 in popular resorts in Puglia and Sardinia.

The decline on the coasts has been offset by a boom in tourists heading to the mountains in the Dolomites. The scorching summer heat is cited as one reason for the newfound popularity of the Alpine resorts.

June was one of the hottest on record globally, with Europe experiencing an intense and prolonged heatwave that saw temperatures soar above 40C in several countries.

Although temperatures dropped slightly in July, it was still the fourth-warmest on record in Europe. Visitor numbers to Trentino have gone through the roof, with numbers expected to surpass last year's record of over 10 million.

The surge in summer tourists to Alpine resorts has provided some welcome relief to hotels, who have seen skiing seasons curtailed due to warmer winters. However, the massive influx in tourists is prompting fears of overtourism, as experts urge local authorities to bolster infrastructure and management.

"I don't like the term 'overtourism'; I prefer the term 'bad management,' meaning poor organisation of visitor flows," Gianni Battaiola, president of Trentino Marketing said.