Exciting research presented during the important Tourism fair BIT 2014 Milano (Borsa Internazionale del Turismo = International Tourism Exchange) by Sandra Cuocolo, senior researcher of IPR Marketing, and realized in collaboration with the Foundation UniVerde can help us to understand the Italian context.
The research shows that sustainability in tourism has become a commercial value, many travellers would be willing to spend on environmental plus, but often do not find it.
The study found that 39% of respondents (Italians) would be willing to pay a 10/20 % more in exchange for specific environmental safeguards and, at the same price, the 70 % would prefer to stay in structures perceived as “green .”
The search for information on services and hospitality takes place online for 9 out of 10 Italians ( 89% ) in particular are increasingly consulted search engines and specialized sites.
Also, a part of the report was devoted to the knowledge and preferences of Italian national parks, and it has found that the best known are the Gran Paradiso and Stelvio, followed by the Cinque Terre and the Sila, and are the most visited national park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise and the Lucano Apennines.
Among the newness of the report relating to the perception of eco-tourism offer in major Italian cities
The negative result is that none of them can reach 7 ( maximum score 10) and even then only slightly exceed the sufficiency is Florence ( 6.3% )and Naples (grade 4 ), Bari (degree 4.1 ) and Palermo (score 4.3 ) are the last in the standings. The good news is that more than half of the respondents are increasingly oriented to choose tourist stays that do not harm the environment, and of these, 64% are young people up to 34 years.
Sustainable tourism and investment in the sector are highly sought after by the Italian population, and it is no coincidence that 88% of respondents to the constraint of sustainability is a necessity (38%) and an excellent opportunity for growth (50% ) for the economic development area.
Sustainable tourism is becoming more like the future of the industry in general. This is proved by the boom of farmhouses, the sale of food and wine tours and the exploits of tourism in parks, with eco-tourism that spreads among visitors from abroad. “A phenomenon – said Pecoraro Scanio (president of UniVerde Foundation) – that should be encouraged, especially on the web, with credible certifications and benefits.”
Sara Vitali
The article has been written for Tourforce Newsletter. Please check out the other interesting news about sustainable tourism and tourism industry on http://www.tonycharters.com/2014/TourforceEd75.html
The original presentation (written in Italian): http://www.fondazioneuniverde.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/III-Rapporto-Italiani-turismo-sostenibile-e-eco-turismo-per-bit-feb-013.pdf
Information source (Italian tourism Magazine: L’Agenzia di Viaggi): http://www.lagenziadiviaggi.it/notizia_standard.php?IDNotizia=169230&IDCategoria=2436