Empty beaches? Gassmann scolds beach resort owners: "Lower your prices."

"You've overdone it with the prices." Aren't Italian beaches fully booked? It's probably due to the prices set by beach establishments. Alessandro Gassmann wrote this on Instagram, commenting on the words of trade associations regarding the 2025 summer season. "Dear beach establishment owners, I read that the season isn't going well. Why do you think? Perhaps you've overdone it a bit with the prices, and the country's economic situation is pushing Italians to choose a public beach? Lower the prices and things will perhaps improve. Do you understand how?" adds the actor, intervening in the debate that, amid videos and photos of closed umbrellas and empty loungers, has been going on for days.

"It's now evident along the entire Italian coast: beaches are crowded only on Sundays, while the rest of the week they're often semi-deserted. This is a clear sign that confirms the difficult economic situation Italian families are experiencing and the general decline in tourism, including foreign tourism," says Fabrizio Licordari, national president of Assobalneari Italia - Federturismo Confindustria. "According to an estimate shared by many industry professionals," he explains, "the 2025 beach season is seeing a decline of between 20% and 30% compared to previous years , both in terms of attendance and consumption."

Catering services (bars, restaurants, equipment rentals) are experiencing a significant decline, with consumption reduced to a minimum. The only day with a significant influx is Sunday, when the tourism is concentrated on a one-off basis, failing to sustain the sector financially. This phenomenon is the result of a very critical economic situation. The high cost of living, including bills, rent, fuel, mortgages, and groceries, directly impacts families' purchasing power.

" Even with two incomes, many families struggle to make ends meet . Under these conditions, it's natural that the first expenses to be cut are those for leisure, entertainment, and vacations. Foreign tourism, especially European tourism, is also slowing, impacted by an unstable international scenario, with two ongoing conflicts, new trade tensions, and economic uncertainties that are reducing the propensity to travel," he warns.

"It's not just the beach resorts that are affected," he emphasizes, "but the entire economic fabric of coastal towns, where tourism represents a primary source of income. Fewer tourists mean less work for bars, restaurants, shops, hotels, local suppliers, and seasonal businesses."

"Beach towns are thus faced with a reduced flow of visitors, which undermines the economic sustainability of entire communities. Aware of the situation, Assobalneari Italia has clearly instructed its members, since the beginning of the season, not to increase rates, but to make minimal adjustments as much as possible to accommodate the difficulties faced by families. Across the country, beach resorts cater to all income brackets: from basic services to fully equipped facilities, Italy offers solutions for every need ," he notes.

"In this delicate scenario, the government must continue to defend the Italian seaside sector from the attacks of Brussels technocrats , who seek to put concessions out to tender illegitimately, ignoring the history, social value, and economic model of the family businesses that have operated along our coasts for generations. Assobalneari Italia renews its appeal to national institutions to reject any attempt to dismantle the sector, recognizing its centrality to the country's identity and economy," it concludes.

"According to Assobalneari, beaches are crowded only on Sundays, while the rest of the week they are often semi-deserted. It's the law of retaliation! Among the reasons for the lack of tourists, in fact, is the high cost of beach services," says Massimiliano Dona, president of the National Consumers Union.

"Of course, the main reason is the general high cost of living, which has hit mandatory expenses the hardest. Obviously, given that food prices soared 4.1% in July, the average family now spends €259 more annually on food and drink, while salaries have stagnated. It's unlikely there'll be anything left over for luxury expenses. It's worth remembering that according to ISTAT, 32.3% of families can't afford a week's vacation a year ," Dona continues.

"But the high cost of holidays has also contributed to reducing crowding at beach resorts or to the search for free beaches instead of paid ones. Beach resorts, swimming pools, and gyms increased in price by 3.7% in just one month in July, placing them sixth in the top ten for economic increases. This figure goes hand in hand with the increases in holiday villages, +15.7%, or package holidays, in first place with an astronomical +16.1%," Dona concludes.

"On the empty beaches recorded in Italy in July, we are currently witnessing 'crocodile tears' from beach resort managers," says Codacons. "As Istat tells us, from 2019 to today, fees for services such as lidos and swimming pools have increased by 32.7% overall, making a day at the beach increasingly costly for families, to the point that many, as beach resort data shows, are giving up paid beaches altogether," says Codacons.

"And to understand the record levels reached by the beaches located in our area, just consider that for the 'imperial tent' at Twiga in Versilia the cost reaches 1,500 euros per day , 600 euros for a normal tent. At the Cinque Vele Beach Club in Pescoluse (Lecce), those who book today for the date of August 16th in the "exclusive" area will spend 940 euros by opting for the formula with the possibility of a refund if the reservation is cancelled within 30 days of arrival. At the Augustus Hotel in Forte dei Marmi the cost for a beachfront spot in August is 560 euros per day, and includes two single sunbeds, one double bed, two deckchairs, towels and a safe," he reports.

At Nikki Beach Costa Smeralda, the 'Beach Bed + Sofa' package (double beach loungers with a two-seater sofa and an umbrella) costs €550 per day , and includes a €230 credit to use on the menu (but with reduced bottle service); a beach cabana costs €450, and two loungers and an umbrella cost €400, all with a €230 credit included. For a day at the beach at the prestigious Hotel Excelsior on the Venice Lido, a front-row cabana costs €515 (with two loungers, a lounger with mattress, a table with seats, and other perks)," he continues.