vacant accommodations surround Lake Garda: Destination for German vacationers in 2021 uncertain

vacant accommodations surround Lake Garda: Destination for German vacationers in 2021 uncertain

Lake Garda, the popular Italian tourist destination, is facing a challenging summer in 2025. The picturesque region, known for its historic villages, ancient ruins, and castles, is experiencing a significant drop in visitors, particularly German and Italian tourists.

The absence of these key visitor groups has led to about 20% of hotel rooms remaining unbooked this summer, and local vendors are reporting a 10 to 20% decrease in turnover compared to the previous year. The reasons for this decline are multifaceted.

One of the primary factors is the rise in prices, which is deterring many potential tourists. The increased costs are a direct result of the drop in bookings, creating a vicious cycle.

Travel disruptions are another issue. Construction work on the Brenner highway has extended the travel time from Bavaria to Lake Garda from five to seven hours, discouraging German tourists from making the trip.

There's also a shift in tourist behaviour. While some Scandinavian tourists still come, they tend to prefer camping and spend less on bars and shopping, providing less economic benefit to the area.

Across Italy, tourists are more budget-conscious, resulting in a 15 to 25% decrease in visitors to private beaches. This trend indicates a countrywide reduction in leisure spending.

Despite Italy overall seeing strong tourism growth in early 2025, Lake Garda is facing a localized slump due to these combined issues. The situation contrasts with other times of the year when Lake Garda attracts more visitors with events and activities, especially in winter.

However, the current summer period is notably challenging. In July, the streets and squares of the villages around Lake Garda were nearly deserted, according to the South Tyrolean news portal stol.it.

The situation has eased slightly in August, but last-minute bookings are still completely missing in the popular northern Italian region. As of Friday afternoon, more than 3000 hotel room results are available for two people on flexible dates at Lake Garda via the platform booking.com.

The global political situation, inflation, and crises of all kinds are given as reasons for the tourism decline. Italy, with its rich history and scenic beauty, still attracted 140 million tourist arrivals last year, of which 74 million were international visitors. Tourism contributed 10.2% to Italy's gross domestic product in 2024.

Local tourism entrepreneurs, such as Fabio Pasqualini, attribute the absence of German tourists to the catastrophic traffic situation with construction work, road closures, and permanent traffic jams, particularly on the Europa Bridge and the Brenner motorway. They also suggest that Scandinavian tourists are not used to the Italian way of life.

Giovanni Bernini, president of the association of campsites on the Venetian coast of Lake Garda, admits that prices may have risen too much. Virginia Torre, president of the hoteliers of Lazise, complains about the lack of last-minute and week-ahead bookings and attributes the price increase to the current tourism decline.

As the summer season draws to a close, the tourism industry in Lake Garda is hopeful for a better 2026, with improvements in travel conditions, more affordable prices, and increased marketing efforts to attract visitors.

In an effort to alleviate the tourism decline, local vendors and hoteliers are considering adjusting their lifestyles and travel offerings, aiming to cater to the preferences of potential Scandinavian tourists who favor camping and budget-friendly options. The travel disruptions caused by construction work on the Brenner highway, resulting in longer travel times, continue to deter German tourists.

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