An estimated five million Italians, roughly 10.5% of the adult population, took off for the upcoming May Day holiday long weekend, according to the national federation of hotel operators Federalberghi.
The broad majority of these, 93% or 4.65 million adults, stayed in Italy while the rest travelled abroad, a poll taken by Federalberghi said.
Seaside spots were the preferred choice for those remaining in Italy, 39% of the holiday goers, followed by mountain locations for 19%.
Italy's so-called art cites were the destination for 13.4% of the long weekend travellers, while lakes attracted 5.8% and spas 2.7%.
Hotels were the first choice to spend the night for the relative majority of travellers, 31.5%, but private vacation homes were a close second at 25.5% followed by the homes of friends or relatives, 17.5%, and bed and breakfast farms, 6.1%.
Federalberghi calculated that the per capital expenditure for those taking the May Day weekend off will be 230 euros. This to pay for transportation, food, lodging and entertainment.
The average hotel stay worked out at 2.4 nights.
All told, the long May Day weekend will generate some 1.15 billion euros in business, Federalberghi said. "Thanks to a good Easter and results of the long Liberation Day (April 25) and May 1 weekends, we feel optimistic about the 2006 tourism season, which has opened in the best way possible and appears set to become the turnaround year we have all been waiting for," Federalberghi Chairman Bernabo' Bocca said.
