Italy: Price of vacations rise with the cost of fuel

Rome, 3 Aug. (AKI) - Those Italians going on summer vacation can expect to pay almost 13 percent more for their break because of higher fuel prices, according to a poll carried by Confartigianato, an artisan trade association.

Italy's prices rose more than any of the other 26 members of the European Union.

Italians and other Europeans flock to the sea, mountains and abroad during their traditional August summer vacations. However, a weak economy has prompted more people to look for low-cost deal, or stay at home all together.

Last year, 30.6 million Italians, or about half the country's population, renounced their summer break with 15.1 million citing economic difficulty for the reason to stay put, the survey said.

"Our figures testimony the heavy effects that the economic crisis is having on the tourism industry, one of our biggest assets and on which our economy rests", said Cesare Fumagalli, secretary of Confartigianato. "There are 121.905 businesses involved in it. This is why we must intensify our efforts and save it", he added.

Italy has been in recession since last fall with the economic contraction expected to continue next year.