A hot start to summer in Europe along with escalating overtourism protests have brought sustainable travel into focus. Italy has been particularly hard hit with excessive heat and overcrowding in popular destinations like Venice and Lake Como.

According to UN Tourism, Italy hosted more than 63 million international tourists in 2019, making it one of the most visited countries on the planet. Tourism accounts for about 13 per cent of Italy’s GDP, a not insignificant chunk of the country’s national economy.