TOURISM. MAZZALI “FLOWS ARE GROWING
IN 2024 AND NEW YEAR
SOLD OUT, LOMBARDY NATIONAL ENGINE”
The Regional Councilor: from January to November 2024, 50 million overnight stays were recorded, + 11.5% compared to 2023.
Lakes and mountains at the top, but ‘FuoriMilano’ is also growing”
From Stefano Passaquindici
Milan, 14 December 2024 – “From January to November 2024, overnight stays in Lombardy stood at 50 million, with a growth of 11.5% compared to the same period in 2023. Already last year our Region had marked a point of carried out with 51 million overnight stays and an increase of 17% compared to 2019, the golden year of national tourism. Lombardy confirms itself, for the second consecutive year, as a strong driver of Italian tourism”. With these words Barbara Mazzali, Regional Councilor for Tourism, Territorial Marketing, Fashion, Design and Major Events, illustrates and comments on the latest data on tourist flows in Lombardy processed by the Regional Observatory for Tourism and Attractiveness.
FOREIGN TOURISTS ACCOUNT FOR 68% OF STAYS – A decisive contribution to Lombardy’s performance comes from international tourism: “Today as many as 68% of overnight stays are represented by foreign visitors – underlines the councilor -. These data describe a region in tourist expansion, capable of attracting travelers from all over the world, offering multiple and unforgettable experiences, in every season”.
CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR SOLD OUT – Speaking about the 2024-2025 winter season, councilor Mazzali highlights: “We had a really positive start with the ‘All Saints’ Holiday’. Our lakes have reached an 80% reservation level, and the mountain has exceeded 90%. But even the cities of the so-called ‘FuoriMilano’, such as Monza, Mantua and Lodi, have recorded a strong increase in flows, alongside our classic destinations”.
In view of the upcoming Christmas holidays, Mazzali adds: “Reservations already indicate an average occupancy rate of 80%, with peaks of 95-100% in the Valtellina mountains. Excellent numbers are expected especially for New Year’s Eve in Lombardy, in the best-known areas of the Region: mountains, lakes and cities of art estimate occupancy forecasts from 90% to full employment”.
THE NUMBERS OF THE PROVINCES OF LOMBARDY FOR THE LAST DAY OF THE YEAR – The councilor then goes into detail about the employment rate of the Lombard provinces. The Lake Como it reaches an average of 90% and in certain iconic areas such as Menaggio, Como, Cernobbio, Torno and Lecco it rises to 95%. Similar scenario on Lake Gardawhere places such as Salò, Desenzano and Sirmione estimate occupancy above 90%. As regards the cities of art, Milan remains at the top with 85%, while Brescia, Bergamo, Varese and Monza average above 80%. Mantua, Cremona, Pavia, Lodi have estimates above 70%.
A REGION FOR ALL SEASONS – Mazzali is keen to underline another important fact: “We have managed to de-seasonalize the tourist offer, expanding the opportunities in every period of the year. The winter of 2023-2024 recorded strong growth in March, thanks also to favorable weather conditions. Summer 2024 started with a boom in May and maintained excellent numbers through September and October.”
THANKS TO THE OPERATORS IN THE SECTOR – “Numbers that fill us with pride and confirm our leadership role. These results are the fruit of strategic and shared work that focused on quality, authenticity and sustainability, demonstrating that tourism is a fundamental lever for the economic development of our Region”, emphasizes Mazzali, who closes with thanks to all the operators of the tourism sector: “Thanks to their daily commitment and the great quality of the service offered, today we can celebrate these extraordinary numbers”.