The Italians count on the gastronomic and business tourism. In 2007 Italy once again demonstrated the highest level of its own tourist industry that made it possible not only to hold, but also to improve its positions on the travel market.

From January till September the tourists spent in Italy 25 billion 264 millions of Euros that is by 1,7% bigger than that of analogous period of 2006. The amount of foreign visitors who arrived in the country increased too and reached a record figure of 20 million 558 thousands of people (+4,7%).

The national tourist agency of Italy (ENIT) considers these figures as encouraging ones in the respect of the perspectives for 2008 as well. According to the agency’s projections, the number of Frenchmen, Germans and Spaniards, who will come to Italy, will increase by 5-8% on the average.

In some sectors, for example, in the gastronomical and business tourisms, an increase even by 25% is expected.

The tourist flow from Hungary and Czech Republic will grow too – approximately by 15%.

The Americans also tend to Italy – the amount of the visitors from USA is expected to be approximately by 8-10% bigger than in the current year.

But the most optimistic Italian projections are connected with the guests from Russia. As the agency considers, in 2008 in Italy will arrive by 20-25% more Russians than in 2007.

Italy is not the first country that pays in the last time more and more attention to the touristic sphere of business. Many countries of the world are trying right now to beat the tops of the rating in various nominations like number of hotel rooms booked in the past year or the number of the flights arrived, because tourism – seems to be a very important part of life of the inhabitants of this planet. And quite an expensive one with huge turnovers…

By: Iuri Tarabanov

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