Hotels in Naples are at 100 per cent occupancy, but the surrounding area is excluded
The Urban Observatory estimates that 770,000 tourists were present during the week of the matches, and Capodichino recorded a 10 per cent increase in passenger numbers
If the preliminary regatta in Naples was also intended as a test of the city’s appeal, the result was a resounding success. You only need to stroll along the seafront and through the streets of the city centre to get a clear sense of just how many tourists have arrived over the last few days to follow the second (after Cagliari in May) preliminary regatta of the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup, which began on Friday and concludes today.
These impressions are supported and confirmed by the findings of the Urban Tourism Observatory set up by Naples City Council. “The America’s Cup pre-races have given a significant boost to visitor numbers,” says Teresa Armato, Councillor for Tourism. “The month will close with figures exceeding the forecast of 2.2 million. There are just a few days left until the end of September and we’ve already reached a total of 2.24 million visitors, from both Italia and abroad. During the week of the pre-races, we recorded 770,000 visitors.” This represents a further increase, building on a growing tourism trend that has been underway for several years. But what is new in recent days is that this involves high-spending tourists, sailing enthusiasts and many curious visitors and fans of Naples who have seized the opportunity for a holiday.
The influx of tourists is so substantial that the Councillor for the Budget, Pier Paolo Baretta, in agreement with Mayor Manfredi, has commissioned a team of academics to carry out an assessment of the impact of tourism on the city’s economy. The study will be completed by the end of 2027 to assess the entire period of the America’s Cup regattas.
“It’s a huge success, and the proof is that you can’t find a hotel room even if you paid a fortune,” says Costanzo Jannotti Pecci, former president of the Naples Industrialists’ Union and head of hotels such as Palazzo Caracciolo and de Bonart (formerly the Britannique). “We are also seeing a level of satisfaction among guests – particularly foreign ones – that we have never seen before.”
And Gianna Mazzarella, chair of the tourism section of the Naples Industrialists’ Union, confirms: ‘We are reporting 100 per cent occupancy. These are high-spending tourists, mostly Americans.’
