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Holidaying Italians spend their money on food

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Holidaying Italians spend their money on food
Nearly half of all Italian holidaymakers take a picnic to the beach. Beach photo: Shutterstock"

Italians are spending less on hotels and instead choosing to spend more on food while on holiday, a report released on Wednesday said.

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While spending on holiday accommodation within Italy has fallen 22 percent since 2007, during the same period Italians’ food budget has gone up by 30 percent, according to the report by farmers’ association Coldiretti.

Italians are more frequently opting to stay in B&Bs or agrotourism accommodation, rather than hotels, allocating less than 25 percent of their holiday budget to lodgings.

Food accounts for 31.1 percent of spending, which this summer will amount to an estimated €4.9 billion.

Despite spending more on their meals, more than half of Italians said they choose to eat in while on holiday. Fifty-one percent said mealtimes would be spent wherever they were staying, be it in rented accommodation or with friends or family, with 36 percent opting to eat out.

Italian holidaymakers have also become keen on picnicking, with 48 percent saying they take a packed lunch to the beach. While most opted for rice salad or sandwiches, some Italians said that lasagne went with them to the seaside.

Italians also picked food and drink as their souvenir of choice. Cheese, olive oil and wine were among the popular products taken home from Italians’ holidays, Coldiretti said. 

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