Lake Garda Tourism Grows Amid Decline in Austrian, French, Swiss Visitors

In recent years, Lake Garda has recorded consistent growth both in the number of visitors and arrivals. The figures increased from 2.47 million arrivals in 1995 to 2.94 million in 1999 (an 18 percent increase); meanwhile, in terms of total presences, the numbers rose from 13.65 million in 1995 to 15.78 million five seasons later (a 15.6 percent increase).

Tourism Trends and Origin Countries

Foreign tourism accounted for 67 percent of arrivals at Garda in 1995 and reached 70 percent in 1999; this nonetheless indicates a steady decline in Italian tourists’ interest in Italy’s most important lake. The forecast for the upcoming season anticipates a growth of 3-4 percent.

The most consistent visitors to Garda remain the Germans (43 percent of total traffic in 1999), followed by Italians (30 percent), with significantly lower percentages of tourists from the Netherlands, Belgium, England, and Scandinavian countries, which have experienced positive increases over the last five years.

Disaffection and New Destinations

Conversely, Austrians, French, and Swiss tourists have shown declining interest in Lake Garda, drawn instead to the warmer Mediterranean coasts.