SURVEY ON AMERICAN TOURISM ON LAKE GARDA: DISCUSSED AT PALAZZO WIMMER

On September 28, 2024, in the elegant setting of the former Casino of Palazzo Wimmer, the first of three meetings aimed at analyzing the new emerging tourist flows took place. The next meetings, scheduled for October 5 in Nago Torbole (Trentino shore of Lake Garda) and October 12 in Lazise (Veneto shore), will examine Arab and Chinese tourism respectively. This series of events, organized by the Observatory for Tourism on Lake Garda, was born from the collaboration between the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and the Comunità del Garda, following a project funded under the PNRR.

Interventions and reflections The morning saw the participation of the mayor of Gardone Riviera, Adelio Zeni, who introduced the proceedings by bringing greetings from the local administration. Also speaking were Barbara Mazzali, Councilor for Tourism of the Lombardy Region, Franceschino Risatti, President of the Comunità Montana Parco Alto Garda Bresciano, and Mariastella Gelmini, President of the Comunità del Garda.

The data collected over the last three years confirm the growing attractiveness of the province of Brescia and Lake Garda for American tourists. In 2021, there were 39 thousand American visitors, a figure that rose to 115 thousand in 2022 and 135 thousand in 2023. These numbers indicate a clear expansion of American tourism in the area, worthy of further study and analysis to understand the growth dynamics and future opportunities for local development.