For the 2024/2025 winter season, the mountain tourism sector is showing encouraging signs. JFC's Italian Mountain Tourism Observatory, which celebrates its 15th year of monitoring this year, estimates a 4.2% growth in turnover, despite a 5.9% increase in prices. A 7.5% increase in international arrivals is also expected, confirming a greater influx of foreign tourists.
This year, Jfc expects a 4.2% drop in Italian customers, offset, however, by a 7.5% increase in arrivals from abroad, with significant growth in tourists from China, the United States, Canada, Scandinavian countries, the United Kingdom, Poland and the Czech Republic.
Dolomites: the most popular destination
Among the most popular winter destinations, the Dolomites stand out for their popularity. At the top of the Observatory's ranking of the 25 best mountain destinations is Cortina d'Ampezzo, followed by Madonna di Campiglio, Livigno, Cervinia, Ortisei and Courmayeur. As for the best 20 ski resorts, the Campiglio-Dolomiti del Brenta ski area ranks first, followed by Alta Badia,ValGardena, Val di Fassa, Livigno and Plan de Corones.
Favourite Italian slopes include Longia in Val Gardena, appreciated for its views, Spinale Direttissima in Madonna di Campiglio, considered the most exciting, and Dantercepies, also in Val Gardena , famous for its liveliness. Although alpine skiing remains the main discipline, the Observatory reports a reduction in the average amount of time spent skiing, from almost six hours a day pre-pandemic to around four hours and 20 minutes for the upcoming season.
Other mountain activities, such as ski mountaineering, are increasingly popular, with an increase of 68.7 per cent among practitioners. In addition, tourists will spend an average of two and a half more days in the mountains than last year, confirming a growing desire to explore winter nature.
Snow sports disciplines
For the winter of 2024/2025, JFC's Italian Mountain Tourism Observatory estimates 4.24 million sportspeople, an increase of 1.8% over the previous season, confirming the growing interest in winter activities. Alpine skiing remains the most popular sport, followed by snowboarding and ski mountaineering, the latter showing strong growth with an increase of 68.7% of practitioners, a sign of greater interest in more immersive experiences in contact with nature.
At the same time, there is a gradual decrease in the number of hours spent on the slopes: before the pandemic, skiers spent an average of almost 6 hours a day on skis, while for the 2024/2025 season, the average time will drop to 4 hours and 20 minutes a day. However, the overall number of days spent on the mountain is increasing, with an average of 2.5 days more than last year. In fact, skiers prefer to alternate time on skis with other activities such as relaxing in mountain huts, wellnessand socialising, thus enriching the winter experience.
