Tourism, an added value of 17.2 billion from open air

Campsites and tourist villages generate direct added value in Italy equal to 17.2 billion euros, 13% of the entire national tourism added value. The measurement of open air was presented at the Open Air Forum of Faita Federcamping which provided the balance of the 2026 season: after an uncertain start which was affected by international geopolitical crises and expensive diesel, the sector has resumed its pace, also being able to count on the so-called shoulder months (September and October), with a growth in presence between 1 May and 30 September of around 2% compared to the same period in 2025. The climate has influenced the choices of the travellers: it is above all the mountains that are growing.

An unpublished figure is that elaborated by Sociometrics and illustrated by Antonio Preiti, professor of Destination management at the University of Florence: campsites and tourist villages in Italy generate a direct added value equal to 17.2 billion euros, 13% of the entire national tourism added value (which stands overall at a share of 132.6 billion euros). «Excluding non-hotel accommodation - underlined Preiti -, open air is worth almost a quarter of the entire hospitality sector and is the driver in dozens of municipalities among those with the highest tourist vocation».

«The direct added value detected testifies to the solidity and competitive capacity of our structures – states Alberto Granzotto, president of Faita Federcamping – Campsites and tourist villages do not only represent an advanced hospitality model, but generate widespread and structural wealth that goes well beyond the perimeter of the individual accommodation».

Faita Federcamping (HBenchmark processing) has drawn up the balance sheet of the summer season, from 1 May to 30 September: in addition to the growth in attendance (+2%) it is also worth mentioning the average revenue rising by 5% for the units sold (mobile homes, pitches) with a stable average length of stay: from 12 nights in the Netherlands to 8.2 in Italy, passing through 10 in Germany (holding first place among the countries of origin of the guests), while Poland proves to be the most dynamic market among the emerging ones. The growth of the sector is also measured by the number of accommodation units sold, which have increased by 60% from 2019 to today, while as of 21 September this year, tourists have already booked 12 thousand more than on the same date in 2025.

From the interviews conducted among companies (316), it emerges from mid-September data that the Northern Regions are driving the sector, with a growth in attendance of over 1.7% in the North-West, and around 1% in the North-East. On the other hand, attendance in the center (-2%) and on the islands (approximately -1%) decreased, but recovered starting from the second half of September and, above all, recorded the highest percentage of new customers (54.4% compared to 45% of old customers out of 100% of guests).