The desire to travel remains strong, but the choices of Italians are increasingly conditioned by economic uncertainty and the international context. This is what emerges from the survey "Tourism: prospects and opportunities for summer 2026” conducted by the Piepoli Institute and presented in recent days at the Chamber of Commerce of Rome.
Italians do not give up on summer vacations in 2026, but they approach them with unprecedented caution. 70% of respondents intend to take a trip in the next four months, but this desire must contend with a climate of tension and strong global uncertainty that is profoundly influencing travelers' choices.
The new survey by the Institute - conducted on a representative sample of 500 respondents between April 20 and 22, 2026 - reveals that, despite a strong desire to travel, over half of Italians (54%) have changed their minds or are uncertain about what to do due to the complex and unstable global scenario. The rise in prices (flights, energy, inflation) and safety are the two main concerns.
The preferred destination remains Italy (56%), followed by Europe (29%) and non-EU countries (9%). The most significant data from the study concerns the change in habits due to the international situation: 54% of respondents admit to having modified their plans. In particular, 23% have oriented themselves towards destinations considered safer and 21% have chosen to stay within national borders, giving up on traveling abroad.
The international situation weighs "a lot or quite a bit" on travel decisions for 67% of the sample. The main concerns guiding these choices are: rising prices (65%): the high cost of flights, energy, and inflation represent the biggest obstacle. And the "high cost of living" inevitably weighs on wallets: while 48% will maintain the same budget as last year, a significant 34% of Italians feel compelled to reduce their vacation spending compared to the previous year.
This scenario is also set within a complex psychological context: the general sentiment towards life has worsened for 45% of respondents in recent months, with a small portion seeing improvements (9%).
«The data from the Piepoli Institute's research confirms that tourism remains a fundamental pillar of our economic system - says the President of the Chamber of Commerce of Rome, Lorenzo Tagliavanti - but it also tells us that we are facing a traveler who is deeply cautious and informed. On one hand, 70% of Italians do not intend to give up a vacation period, while on the other hand, there is a clear demand for protection: protection of their purchasing power, threatened by rising prices, and protection of their safety in an unstable international context. As the Chamber of Commerce of Rome – concludes Tagliavanti - we believe that this strong push towards national destinations can also represent an opportunity that our businesses must seize, focusing on a quality offer that balances high standards with sustainable costs. The challenge for summer 2026 will not only be to attract more visitors but to convey values such as hospitality, quality, and safety that, today more than ever, represent the true added value of Made in Italy».
Among those present at the meeting was, among others, the vice president of the Tourism and Leisure Industry Section of Unindustria, Veronica Pamio.
«It is essential - her comment on the sidelines of the panel- that the entire tourism supply chain, at this stage, works synergistically to convey a message of trust and reassurance in view of the summer season for the months ahead. Todate, in fact, there is no significant decline in bookings from abroad, particularly from non-European markets: a sign that confirms how the propensity to travel and the outlook for the future are not marked by pessimism. In this shared commitment, Fiumicino airport can play a strategic role, ensuring a timely increase in the capacity necessary to support, in the coming years, the competitiveness of the country system, also through the development plan of the airport, which we hope can swiftly continue its course».
