From bastis

Italy is largely a peninsula situated on the Mediterranean Sea, bordering France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia in the north. To the south the boot-shaped country consists of the entirety of the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Sardinia – the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea – and many other smaller islands.

Contents 1 Country Profile 1.1 Geography/Population 1.2 Politics 1.3 Economy 2 Tourism Demand 2.1 General 2.2 International travel 2.3 Travel behaviour 2.4 Holiday planning 2.5 Heritage Tourism 3 Traffic links into the Baltic Sea Region 3.1 Air 3.2 Sea 3.3 Rail 3.4 Road 4 References

Country Profile

Geography/Population

• Land area: 301,340 km² (country comparison to the world: 71)
• Population: 60.3 million inhabitants (country comparison to the world: 23); 195 inhabitants/km²; Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south)
• Biggest Cities: Capital Rome (2,719,000), Milan (1,300,000), Naples (973,000), Turin (908,000), Palermo (663,000), Genua (611,000), Bologna (372,000), Florenz (365,000), Bari (323,000), Catania (299,000)
• Urbanisation: 68% of the Italien population live in cities
• Religions: Roman Catholic 90% (approximately; about one-third practicing), other 10% (includes mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community)
• Languages: Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)
• Age structure (Median age: 43.7 years):

0-14 years: 13.5%

15-64 years: 66.3%

65+ years: 20.2%

• Population projection: Against the European trend there will be small population growth in the near future, but in the long run the Italian population will be slightly below the level in 2010 (2025: 60.0 million inhabitants)

_{Source: CIA - The World Factbook 2011 ^[1], UN Population divison 2010 ^[2]}

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Politics

• Government type: Unitary parliamentary republic
• Chief of state: Giorgio Napolitano (since 2006)
• Head of government: Silvio Berlusconi (since 2008)
• Administration: 15 regions and 5 autonomous regions

_{Source: CIA - The World Factbook 2011 ^[1]}

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Economy

	2007	2008	2009	2010*	2011*	2015*
GDP (PPP) in billion US$	1,798.2	1,813.2	1,737.7	1,771.1	1,812.2	2,034.0
GDP development	+4.5%	+0.8%	-4.2%	+1.9%	+2.3%
GDP per capita (PPP) in US$	30,500	30,600	29,100	29,400	29,900	32,700
Inflation rate	2.0%	3.5%	0.8%	1.6%	1.7%
Unemployment rate	6.2%	6.7%	7.8%	8.7%	8.6%

^{*2010, 2011, 2015 data: estimates by IMF, October 2010}

• GDP-composition by sector: services: 73.3% industry: 24.9% agriculture: 1.8%
• Huge economic gap between North and South Italy
• The Italian industry is mainly located in the North: metal processing, textile industry, food industry, paper industry, leather industry and building material industry
• Import- and export: Germany, France, Spain, UK, USA, China (Import), Russia (Import), Switzerland (Export)
• Currency: Euro
• Income distribution: The Italian distibution of income is quite balanced (slightly above-average, position 47 worldwide)
• HDI (Human Development Index): Italy is a „Very High Human Development“ Country (2010: country comparison in the world: 23)
• Media access: 47% of Italien households with Internet access; 204 Phones per 100 inhabitants; ICT Development Index (IDI), worldwide benchmarking of communication infrastructure: Rank 28

_{Source: IMF World Economic Outlook Database ^[3], CIA - The World Factbook 2011 ^[1], DZT Incoming Italien 2011 ^[4], UNDP Human Development Report 2010 ^[5], OECD Factbook (2010) ^[6]}

Tourism Demand

General

• Travel propensity: 58% of the Italian travelled at least once in 2009, either for business or private purposes. This value is considerably lower than the average value of all European countries (69%). Note: travelling was defined as spending one night away from home, for private or business purposes.
• "Private" travel propensity:

55% of the Italian had travelled – for private reasons – at least once in 2009

18% had made at least one holiday trip (4+ nights) and at least one short private trip (1-3 nights)

28% had made at least one holiday trip but no short private trips

9% had made at least one short private trip but no holiday trips

• Travel frequency of the Italian private travellers:

36% of them made exactly one holiday or short private trip in 2009

18% made two

17% made three

15% four to five

11% six to ten

3% more than ten trips

• Domestic holidays: The share of main holiday trips of the Italian with domestic destinations was 63% in 2008. In European comparison this value is very high. Other countries with high domestic shares are e.g. Greece, Spain, Bulgaria, Poland and Hungary

_{Source: Flash Eurobarometer 291 (2010) ^[7] Flash Eurobarometer 258 (2009) ^[8]}

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International travel

	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Number of international trips of the Italian	20.2 million	19.8 million	21.1 million	23.0 million	23.6 million	21.6 million

• Holiday/business/VFR: 75% of the 21.6 million international trips in 2009 were holiday, 17% business, 8% VFR (visiting friends and relatives)
• Long/short holidays: 68% of the 16.1 million private trips abroad in 2009 were "long" holiday trips (4+ nights), 32% were "short" holiday trips (1-3 nights).
• Frequency of international travel: on average, every Italian (15+ years old) took 0.4 international trips in 2009
• Regional source markets: 36% of international trips in 2009 originated from North West Italia, 25% from North East Italia, 22% from Central Italia and 17% from South Italia and the islands
• Destinations all international trips 2009:

1. France (20%; 4.3 million)

2. Spain (14%; 3.0 million)

3. Germany (8%; 1.9 million)

4. Croatia (6%; 1.3 million)

5. UK (6%; 1.2 million)

• Destinations international holiday trips 2009 ("long" and "short" holidays):

1. France (20%; 3.2 million)

2. Spain (15%; 2.4 million)

3. Germany (7%; 1.1 million)

4. Croatia (7%; 1.1 million)

• Duration of international trips of the Italian 2009:

International holiday trips: 8.3 nights

International VFR trips: 6.3 nights

International business trips: 5.4 nights

• International travel spendings 2009: total 18.6 billion Euro - corresponding to 861 Euro per international trip and 137 Euro per night abroad. Note: including all costs of travel and transport at home and at the destination

_{Source: IPK International: World Travel Monitor 2009. In: DZT Incoming Italien 2011 ^[4]}

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Travel behaviour

• Major Motivation for main holiday trip 2009:

1. Rest/recreation 48% [EU27: 37%]

2. Visiting someone 18% [EU27: 17%]

3. Sun/beach 15% [EU27: 19%]

• Method of transport for main holiday trip 2009:

1. Car 43% [EU27: 48%]

2. Airplane 38% [EU27: 35%]

3. Train 9% [EU27: 7%]

4. Bus 5% [EU27: 6%]

5. Boat 3% [EU27: 2%]

• Organisation of main holiday trip 2009:

69% Travel organised individually [EU27: 58%]

17% Travel booked through travel agency [EU27: 13%]

9% Package tour booked via Internet [EU27: 11%]

4% Package tour booked through travel agency [EU27: 10%]

1% Other [EU27: 7%]

_{Source: Flash Eurobarometer 291 (2010) ^[7]}

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Holiday planning

• Holiday destination choice criteria of the Italian:

1. The environment 37% [EU27: 32%]

2. Cultural heritage 26% [EU27: 25%]

3. Art 13% [EU27: 6%]

• Information sources for holiday planning:

1. Recommendations of friends/relatives: total 49% [EU27: 58%], most important source 22% [EU27: 30%]

2. Internet: total 49% [EU27: 42%], most important source 28% [EU27: 24%]

3. Travel and tourist agencies: total 36% [EU27: 22%], most important source 21% [EU27: 11%]

4. Personal experience: total 30% [EU27: 31%], most important source 17% [EU27: 18%]

5. Guidebooks/magazines: total 14% [EU27: 12%], most important source 5% [EU27: 5%]

6. Catalogues/brochures: total 12% [EU27: 14%], most important source 4% [EU27: 6%]

7. Media (TV, radio, newspaper): total 6% [EU27: 9%], most important source 2% [EU27: 3%]

• Destination preferences:

55% Traditional, well-known destinations [EU27: 57%]

25% Non-traditional, emerging destinations [EU27: 28%]

19% Not important, no preference [EU27: 13%]

• Planned destination main holiday trip 2010:

56% Italy

2% Baltic Sea Region

31% Outside BSR

11% No main holiday planned

_{Source: Flash Eurobarometer 291 (2010) ^[7]}

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Heritage Tourism

• Major Motivation for main holiday trip 2009:

1. Rest/recreation 48% [EU27: 37%]

2. Visiting someone 18% [EU27: 17%]

3. Sun/beach 15% [EU27: 19%]

4. Culture/religion 7% [EU27: 6%]

5. City trip 5% [EU27: 7%]

6. Sports-related 3% [EU27: 4%]

7. Nature 2% [EU27: 6%]

• Holiday destination choice criteria of the Italian:

1. The environment 37% [EU27: 32%]

2. Cultural heritage 26% [EU27: 25%]

3. Art 13% [EU27: 6%]

4. Entertainment 11% [EU27: 16%]

5. Gastronomy 8% [EU27: 6%]

6. Festivals/events 3% [EU27: 5%]

• Expectations about emerging destinations:

Expectations about emerging destinations vary widely across the different European countries. A relative majority of the Polish respondents (43%) selected cheaper costs/lower prices as their main expectations.

In Italy respondents' main expactions lay in the 'discovery of local culture and lifestyle' (31% [EU27: 33%]) and better value for money is also rather important (26%). Consequently other expectations, such as lower prices, better environmental quality and better quality of service only played a minor role for the Italian _{Source: Flash Eurobarometer 291 (2010) ^[7]}

Traffic links into the Baltic Sea Region

Air

Leonardo da Vinci International Airport Rome (popularly known as 'Fiumicino') and Milan Malpensa are Italy's two main hub airports with direct connections to the Baltic Sea Region. Other important international airports are Milan Linate International Airport, Trieste No-Borders Airport ('Friuli Venezia Giuliaand') and Palermo Airport ('Falcone Borsellino'). Please look up the airport links for their current connections into the BSR:

• Rome Airport
• Milan Malpesa Airport
• Milan Linate Airport
• Trieste Airport
• Palermo Airport

Sea

There is no ferry-connection from Italy into the Baltic Sea Region.

Rail

The Italian State Railways provides frequent train services linking all of Italy. Due to geographical reasons, Germany ist the only destination of the Baltic Sea Region which can be reached with an international high-speed train from Italy. In addtion, there is a direct connection from Venice to Moscow, lasting about 59 hours. Timetables and prices can be found at Trenitalia or Ferrovie Italiane.

The most important railway stations with international departures are Milan's Central Station and Rome central station (Roma Termini), which has undergone extensive renovation. For further information about Italy's major stations see GrandiStazioni.

Road

If you want to go to the Baltic Sea Region by car from Italy, you have to drive trough Switzerland or Austria. The most important roads leaving Northern Italy are and the E43 via Milano and Lugano (Switzerland), E45 via Bolzano and Innsbruck (Austria) and E55 via Udine and Villach (Austria). Another possibility is to use the motorail-train; there are terminals in Alessandria (Piemont), Bolzano, Trieste and Verona with connections to different cities in Germany. For further information see DB Autozug.

For further information on motorways in Italy see here.

References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} CIA - The World Factbook, January 2011 [1]
2. ↑ UN Population division 2010 [2]
3. ↑ IMF (International Monetary Fund): World Economic Outlook Database, October 2010 [3]
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus: Marktinformationen Incoming Italien 2011 [4]
5. ↑ UNDP Human Development Report 2010[5]
6. ↑ OECD Factbook 2010: Economic, Environmental and Social Statistics [6]
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3} European Commission: Flash Eurobarometer 291, March 2010: Survey on the attitudes of Europeans towards tourism [7]
8. ↑ European Commission: Flash Eurobarometer 258, March 2019: Survey on the attitudes of Europeans towards tourism [8]