I've noticed that many hotels are offering specials in August, with very low rates as compared with September or October. I thought the high season in Italy was July/August, not September/October as indicated by the prices listed.
My question is: are the summer months really the low season, or are hotels offering discounts because so few Americans are travelling over?
August is the low season but I bet its the combination of both factors.
Where is it written that "so few Americans are travelling over" ? Statistics, please.
Norma,
Translantic trips are down, as is tourism. By how much its hard to say but as with any economic downturn tourism everywhere is taking a hit.
We were in Rome and Sorrento last month, and locals in both cities were concerned about the down turn in tourism in general, Americans in particlular. No stats, just the overall feeling that places weren't as crowded as usual. Our driver said there had been newpaper articles about it.
Norma, a local travel agency told me that both Trafalgar and Insight tours were no longer offering gaurantees departures on their European tours this year as American tourist numbers were down 6%. An Italian friend, working in the industry there, is also feeling the effects of less US travellers.
Irene, August us not peak season anyway.
