Overview

• Tourism associations and hotel leaders describe roughly a 20% drop in bookings and footfall this season, with last‑minute demand largely evaporating.
• Confcommercio Bardolino points to Brenner and Europabrücke road works that now stretch Bavaria–Garda drives from about five to roughly seven hours, deterring visits.
• The visitor mix has tilted toward more Northern and Eastern Europeans who generally spend less and favor campsites, leaving many mid‑range hotels and restaurants quieter after 22:00.
• Campsites are busy but costlier; a German family in Lazise calculated about €3,300 for two weeks of camping excluding travel as everyday prices for ice cream, snacks and drinks climbed.
• Impacts vary widely, with some restaurateurs citing 20% revenue declines and thriftier orders such as shared pizzas, while premium venues frequented by loyal homeowners report strong trade.