ISTAT

Trips and holidays

Via Cesare Balbo 16, Rome, Italy

30 June 2024

30 June 2024

30 June 2024

[Optional]

Not applicable.

National tourism: domestic tourism and outbound tourism (trips made by residents of the reporting country).

All territories of Italy are included.

Coverage - Time [data comparable since (YYYY)]

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

2023

Not applicable.

National legislative measures: Legislative Decree no. 322/1989

Legislative Decree no. 196 of 30th June 2003

Legislative Decree no. 33/2013

Different measures are applied to guarantee confidentiality.

1. The microdata exchange between Istat and private enterprises in charge of data collection, is made by Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) by using password for the access.
2. Identificative variables are stored separately as soon as the data collection ends.
3. Aggregated data and microdata are disseminated only after having made treatments such as the aggregation of disclosive information, cell suppression, analysis of single values.

The possibility to make personalised analyses on microdata files can be conducted in the ADELE Laboratory (Analisi di Dati ELEmentari Laboratory), which is a Research data centre (RDC) where researchers and academics are enabled to conduct their own statistical analyses on microdata produced by the Institute's surveys working directly into the safe site of the institute. Each analysis has to be in compliance with legislation concerning the confidentiality of personal data ("Code of conduct and professional practice applying to processing of personal data for statistical and scientific purposes" - Annex A.4, Legislative Decree no. 196 of 30th June 2003).

Main provisional data of 2023 were disseminated on the 9th April 2024. These data are collected by Istat publication which is called the "Statistics Report" series, with comments and tables.

At national level, definitive aggregated data at page Trips - IstatData under "Communication, culture and trips"; microdata files for Scientific use Files (SUFs) and Public use files were both disseminated in July 2024. 

The complete yearly press calendar is available on page: Press calendar.

[Optional]

Not applicable.

A regular report titled "Statistical Report", featuring provisional yearly and quarterly data on trips and tourists for the reference year, is disseminated to the press and made available on our website: Viaggi e vacanze in Italia e all’estero - Anno 2023 (Italian version).

For the reference year 2023, the yearly "Statistical Report" containing provisional data on trips and tourists, organized by year and quarters, was made available on the website on April 9, 2024.

Istat.Data is the new data browser of statistics produced by Istat, offering a complete and homogeneous collection of information unique to Italian official statistics. Access  is open and free of charge. The statistics are organized by theme within a two-level hierarchical tree. Data are presented in aggregated form within multidimensional tables, allowing users to create custom tables and graphs by selecting variables, reference periods, and adjusting the arrangement of headers and sides. The system can be searched using keywords, themes and regions. A wide range of standard metadata facilitates the understanding of statistics by users. Contents are constantly updated.

Yearly Microdata files are released free of charge and in compliance with the principle of statistical secrecy and protection of personal data. There are 4 types:

• Public use files (mIcro.STAT), downloaded directly from the Istat website;
• Standard file, issued upon request with a valid reason for research purposes (until 2013);
• Files for research purposes (MFR) issued to subjects belonging to universities or research bodies upon the presentation of a research project;
• Files for Sistan, accessible only by the statistical offices of the National Statistical System.

Standard files are being gradually replaced by MFR. In particular, until 2013, microdata on Tourism demand were disseminated as "standard files"; since 2014, microdata are produced as "mIcro.STAT files" and "Files for research purposes" (MFR files). Files for Sistan are yearly produced.

Through the Laboratory for Elementary Data Analysis (ADELE), researchers and academics can access to microdata files of all Istat surveys. The access to the Laboratory is free of charge.

Microdata and aggregated data are published regularly since 1997 referring to all age groups. Outbound same-day visits have been disseminated since 2014 (every year) and domestic same day vists since 2015 (every three years).

A volume on the new methodology of the survey due to the introduction of Regulation 692/11 and to the change of technique in 2014, has been written in 2018 (La nuova indagine sulla domanda turistica, only in Italian language). A volume on methodology of the survey in the previous years from 1997 to 2013 can also be found (only in Italian language).

Documentation on methodology of the survey is also collected into the Istat's information system on quality SIQual (searching for the tag 'trips' in 'complete list' in the web page of SIQual). SIqual collects information on the characteristics of all  Istat's surveys as well as on activities performed to guarantee the quality of statistical information.

Quality tools have been developed by Istat in order to improve the quality of statistical processes and products, consistently with Istat's mission and according to the framework of the European Statistical System. Any information can be found on the page Quality tools. In particular, the volume "Quality Guidelines for Statistical Processes" and the Information System on Quality (SIQual) are useful to the scope. The survey complies with the "Guidelines for Statistical Processes" which contains the principles to be followed in planning, executing and assessing statistical processes. The guidelines also specify the quality requirements that statistics should be compliant with.

Not applicable.

[Optional]

The main sources of error for Italian estimates are sampling errors, nonresponse errors (unit and item), measurement errors, coverage errors.

As regard sampling errors, they are assessed for the main estimates (tourists, trips, nights, same day visits, expenditures) and the main domains (geographical breakdown and main type of trips) and, when necessary, for other type of estimates. The statistical model adopted is RE-genesees.

Nonresponse errors due to units non-response, are monitored by indicators in order to prevent and reduce them. Units non-response can be "voluntary" because respondents refuse to answer the questionnaire due to hostility, lack of interest, lack of availability, suspicion, etc.; otherwise unit non-response can be "non-voluntary" because they can not be able to provide the information due to diseases, dialect, mourning, foreign language, temporarily absent, etc. During data collection phase it is required that each non-responding household have to be replaced with a household having similar characteristics, in order to maintain the sample representativeness and to minimize the impact of unit non-response as well. No more than 3 replaces are admitted. After data collection, these kinds of errors can be eliminated by using calibration estimators (this is partially useful to avoid under-coverage errors).

Measurement errors and item non-response errors, which are monitored by indicators and reports during data collection and in the process phase. These kind of errors could depend on: 1) interviewers: not understanding or misinterpreting the respondents answers, typing errors; 2) respondents: not understanding the questions, not knowing the answers. These are corrected by control and editing procedures (deterministic and probabilistic procedures).

Coverage error (see 13.3.1 and 18.1.2.4): 7.80%

13.2.1 Sampling errors - indicators

13.2.2 Additional comments on sampling error

13.3.1 Coverage errors

13.3.2 Unit non-response for TRIPS dataset

13.3.3 Unit non-response rate

13.3.4 Item non-response

13.3.5 Additional comments on non-sampling error 

(in case of second survey please briefly describe 13.3.1-13.3.4 here)

The survey fulfills the geographical comparability because the sample is representative of all regions of the country.

To assess coherence of data, statistics from demand side are compared with other two sources. In particular, data about outbound flows (overnights, trips, same day visits, expenditures) are compared with data from National Bank of Italy (International tourism Sample Survey). Data about domestic overnights spent in rented accommodation by resident are compared with data from Istat supply side (Monthly statistics on “Occupancy in collective accommodation establishments Census Survey”)

Not applicable.

Cost and burden are not systematically collected.

First provisional results were disseminated at national level in t+70 days from the last day of the reference period t.

Definitive data were transmitted to Eurostat in t+(40 days)+(3 months) and disseminated at national level in t+(40 days) + (4 months).

Yearly provisional results are revised when they are disseminated as definitive. The procedures of editing and imputation aim to obtain definitive estimates, adjusting more in depth single items. Deterministic and probabilistic methods are used. The definitive estimates of trips, nights, tourists, same day visits do not change much respect to the provisional ones.

18.1.1. Source data

18.1.2. Population frame

18.1.3. Gross sample size (year, individuals)

18.1.4. Net sample size (year, individuals)

18.1.5. Sampling design

18.1.6. Second survey or source

18.3.1. Type of survey

18.3.2. Data collection methods

18.3.3. Proxy interviews

18.3.4. Average interview time (The average interview time is X minutes.)

18.3.5 Second survey or source

Not applicable.

No comment.