Tourism: the heat is driving bookings in September – Italians are opting for the Mediterranean and Spain

The record temperatures recorded this year have not only jeopardised people’s health and caused severe disruption to the agricultural sector, but have also had an impact on Italians’ summer holiday plans. The heatwave that has gripped the country on several occasions since the end of May has prompted many Italians to postpone their holidays until September to avoid the stifling heat of recent months. According to data collected by the online travel agency eDreams, the most sought-after destinations are located on the Mediterranean. Seven out of ten bookings are for short-haul trips: 23 per cent chose Italian holiday destinations, 20 per cent chose Spain and 7 per cent chose France.

Although the fifth heatwave of 2026 is now in full swing – on Friday 28 August, temperatures will peak at over 40 degrees in numerous towns and cities across central and southern Italy – the summer season is drawing to a close, and temperatures are expected to drop significantly from the end of the weekend onwards, giving way to cooler, more pleasant days. The number of Italian cities on ‘red alert’ – the highest alert level – will begin to fall from the weekend: on Saturday 29 August, the figure will drop from nine to five, all located in the south (Bari, Catania, Messina, Palermo and Reggio Calabria), which has been hardest hit by the summer’s latest heatwave.

Many people will therefore be taking advantage of the easing of the heatwave to enjoy the art cities and Mediterranean beaches. Data collected by eDreams shows that, amongst Italians travelling in September, 28 per cent have scheduled a departure for the week of 30 August, 25 per cent for the week of 6 September and 22 per cent for the week of 13 September.

Most of those who have decided to go on holiday at this time of year – when it is less hot but also less crowded – booked two to three months before setting off (45 per cent), whilst 38 per cent booked more than three months in advance. Turning our attention to the length of stay, 36 per cent have booked short breaks of 3 or 4 days, whilst 25 per cent will be treating themselves to a break of 7–13 days. As for tourists travelling to Italia from abroad in the final days of summer, the main countries of origin are Spain (28 per cent), France (25 per cent) and Germany (14 per cent).

On the eve of the major post-holiday exodus, which will last until Sunday and see 25 million vehicles hitting the roads, the first assessments of the summer holidays are being made, particularly with regard to the high cost of living, which has made spending a few days on holiday more expensive. According to a study by the Demoskopika Institute, previewed by ANSA, tourist flows in Italia during July and August 2026 are estimated to have generated total expenditure of 20.4 billion euros. Of this, 541 million is attributed solely to the rise in prices.