Pescara's beaches have seen a 25% drop in tourists. "Prices remain unchanged, but umbrellas remain empty."

"It's the busiest time of year, but there aren't many people: we're here counting sheep. In July, we recorded a 25% decrease in consumption compared to the same month in 2024." Thus, Riccardo Padovano , the longtime manager of a beach resort in Abruzzo, regional president of Sib Confcommercio, the beach resort owners' union, draws up a partial assessment of the summer season and analyzes the current situation.

"All in all," says Padovano, "seasonal passes are unchanged, but many customers aren't coming to the beach because going to the beach is expensive these days . The problem isn't the high cost of umbrellas, but the high cost of living. Hence the empty beaches we're seeing this summer. We're seeing more visitors on weekends, but they're local customers. Tourists are missing."

While the issue is being discussed throughout Italy, in Abruzzo , Padovano emphasizes, "the situation is the same along the entire coast; no area is safe. People aren't coming to the beach because general costs have increased, such as highways, gasoline, and parking. Even bed and breakfasts and accommodations in the area," he emphasizes, "have seen a decline, and an estimated 30% are vacant. It's not a flight to other destinations; people aren't moving at all."

"For example, I've set up new palm trees for day trips, but I'm not renting them out. Day trips ," he emphasizes, "have completely disappeared. There's a bit more traffic on weekends, but we're talking about locals, and considering it's the peak tourist season, there are very few people. Other areas, starting with Emilia-Romagna, are also suffering, but the impact is greater here ."

Recalling that "we also have a sword of Damocles hanging over our heads, namely the Bolkestein directive , and we'll have to wait and see what happens," Padovano emphasizes that we need to work harder to promote the area . "The destinations we need to attract tourists from are Northern Europe, like Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. With those tourists," he says, "we could offer very advantageous prices in the low season."

Among the critical issues analyzed by the SIB president is the maritime connection with Croatia . "It must be restored at all costs," he observes. "We can't be stuck because of problems related to the lack of dredging, which prevents us from restoring such a crucial line. Moreover, this isn't just a problem for Pescara, but for our entire region. Our region is beautiful, but we're not good at promoting it. This," concludes Riccardo Padovano, "is the real problem facing Abruzzo."