Northern Lake Garda Sees Surge as Germans Lead Holiday Travel in Mitteleuropa

In Mitteleuropa, the holiday period begins on Sunday the 27th, with Ascension Day, marking the start of the three-day holiday weekend that traditionally floods Lake Garda, Lake Iseo, and Lake Idro with a surge of tourists.

Following are the «bypass» holidays of Pentecost, June 3rd, and Corpus Christi, on June 17th. A first taste of the northern influx was experienced on May 1st, which saw a full house of vacationers on Lombard lakes.

Guest profiles and destination preferences

The initial reports and bookings for Ascension Day indicate that, among operators in agencies and hotels, the dominant guests, punctual as clockwork, will be Germans, accounting for 60 percent of international arrivals.

According to operators’ descriptions, the attendance ranking is as follows: after the proverbial Germans, who lead in number of stays, the British and Dutch follow, though at a much greater distance.

For shorter periods, Austrians, Scandinavians, Belgians, French, Americans, and Japanese come. Tourism from East Asia has been notably increasing over recent years, especially in Limone and Riva del Garda.

Distribution of arrivals and seasonal preferences

What are the preferred times of year for holidays among different groups? For Germans, stays typically occur from March to October; for subjects of Queen Elizabeth, the most popular period is from April to September; and guests from the Netherlands focus their holidays in July and August.

Which locations are the most sought after? Italians generally prefer the Lombard resorts of the Great Lake. Northerners, on the other hand, favor the Venetian and Trentino coasts.

Objects of preference and areas of highest influx

It is noteworthy that on Sebino and Eridio, local domestic tourists outnumber foreigners, although the number of foreigners in tourist villages and tent camps is very high.

The British favor the Trentino shore, their coveted oasis. The «tulips» mainly focus on the Lombard and Venetian rivieras.

For the concentration of nightclubs and discos, both national and international youth target the Lombard-Venetian territory because it is rich in clubs. For young athletes, Garda Trentino is the desired Mecca, the paradise of windsurfing.