Italian Beaches Suffer Unusually Low Attendance as Sunbed Costs Double
Operators blame inflation-driven cost pressures for massive weekday vacancies in hopes that Ferragosto’s heat will trigger a visitor rebound
Overview
- Trade group Assobalneari Italia reports a 25–30% drop in guests this season, with many private beach clubs half empty on weekdays
- Average daily rent for two sunbeds and an umbrella has climbed from about €30 last year to €60 at some locations, stoking consumer backlash
- Actor Alessandro Gassmann publicly urged beach operators to cut prices to help salvage the faltering summer season
- Industry figures point to soaring living costs and inflation as the root causes of reduced discretionary spending on holidays
- Tourism Minister Daniela Santanché has dismissed crisis claims as alarmist even as operators look to Ferragosto’s record heat for signs of recovery