Of course, out of season. That's the common thread that unites this month's Dove story. Following the travel macro trends for 2024, the key words are “seasonalization and undertourism”. Trends that have already been established for months in Italy, according to the data.
For off-season holidays, we must above all thank the foreigners who, in 2023, chose our country: foreign presences marked a +13.7 percent compared to 2022.
Welcome back, strangers
“2023 represented the year of a great restart of the tourism industry in which American and Chinese tourists returned and Europeans booked vacations even out of season, thanks to the summer weather which lasted until October “, he explained. Antonio Barréca, general director of Federturismo Confindustria. As for lesser-known destinations, even Chinese travel agencies are now promoting central Italy's historic villages and spa resorts, increasingly popular with new generations of oriental travelers.
The tyrannies of calendars
In short, going off course and out of season should be a simple recipe for us Italians too, but company and school calendars are often a major obstacle to alternative departures. So, for now, a nice vacation period in May or June is often a privilege granted to seniors, finally free to throw away watches and calendars, and to smart workers without children in school, always assuming that the destinations offer adequate connections and services.
Authenticity without crowds
In this context, Dove has always offered itself as a pioneer, throwing its heart beyond obstacles to tell the world in a new light. We recognize, however, that it is not enough to extol the benefits of traveling off-season or off-road; It is essential that those who manage programs and services in the region respond appropriately.
Apart from nightclubs and stadiums, all other places reveal an authenticity without crowds. We take Naples, for example: the excitement lies in the magic you breathe with the Neapolitans. Here, music is not a sound, but the soundtrack of a culture that manifests itself in all its essence precisely when the city is not invaded by tourists. Trivial, perhaps, but terribly true (as we say on page 94).
Feeling part of the ecosystem
And if these are little-known destinations, why not enjoy the sea of Wadden, Denmark (p. 154)? This territory, characterized by extraordinary biodiversity and landscapes changing with the tides, offers a unique experience. Walking on the exposed seabed, closely observing the migration of birds, gives you the feeling of being part of an ecosystem to be discovered.
If you think about it better, the word that unites all the ideas you find on Dove is “outside”. Outside of clichés, outside of prescribed deadlines, apart from the banality of the same. Not a direction to follow, but a new dimension to find yourself in.
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Not to be missed on newsstands
It's on newsstands from April 12 new guide to London from Dove, 196 pages for only €8.90, with all the useful information to discover restaurants, clubs and shops. A story that does not forget the great classics, but which also sets out in search of the trendiest and youngest neighborhoods, rich in art, clubs and nightlife.
All verified by our journalists.
