September 4, 2025, 4:33 am | Read time: 5 minutes
Various towns and attractions around Lake Garda have long been popular travel destinations. No wonder, the lake’s beauty is well-known worldwide. Nevertheless, visitor numbers in the entire region are significantly declining. The absence of German tourists is particularly noticeable. TRAVELBOOK delves into the reasons for this and shows how some hoteliers are responding to the crisis.
Why German Tourists Are Missing from Lake Garda
In the past, German vacationers were especially common at Lake Garda. This can be partly explained by the proximity. From Munich, for example, it takes about four hours by car to reach the destination–under normal circumstances, anyway. Even among locals, towns like Lazise, Riva del Garda, and Bardolino have always been very popular. Tourism has recently undergone a significant change. As Fabio Pasqualini, president of the trade association Confcommercio Bardolino, explains to the daily newspaper “Corriere del Veneto,” both Germans and Italians have been staying away for some time. “Instead, more guests are coming from Northern Europe,” says Pasqualini. But they don’t make up for it. Because–different countries, different customs–the new guests do not have the same habits as the spendthrift ones of the past. They don’t dine out or have an aperitif, Pasqualini explains. Instead of staying in hotels, they prefer camping. Accommodations and restaurateurs report losses of around 20 percent.
Reasons for the Decline in Visitors
Various factors are likely to have played a role in this development. Currently, a major construction site on the Brenner Autobahn (A13) towards Lake Garda is causing significant traffic disruptions. More information is available from the ADAC.
But even apart from potential complications when traveling by car, there are objective reasons against visiting Lake Garda: Prices on site have risen significantly. Virginia Torre, chairwoman of the hotel association of Lazise, complains that prices for items like pizza–a relatively inexpensive food, one might think–have almost doubled. It seems only logical that the remaining guests, as some hosts report, often share a pizza between two people.
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From Overtourism to Empty Streets?
Those who have vacationed at Lake Garda in the past likely remember a lively, romantic atmosphere late into the night. Today, however, many streets and promenades seem deserted in the evenings. In the middle of the summer vacation season, this is quite remarkable.
But let’s take a brief look back. Over the May Day weekend this year, the small town of Sirmione (about 8,000 residents) on Lake Garda was almost overrun by about 75,000 tourists. The narrow alleys and the historic town center visibly reached their limits. Such scenes are no longer uncommon in popular vacation countries. In various places in Italy–and also in Spain–there have been repeated protests by locals in recent months against the ever-growing streams of visitors. The message, unmistakable: “We don’t want tourists.” Such signals could also have unsettled long-time guests from Germany and possibly prompted them to spend their vacations elsewhere in the future–far from the previously heavily frequented destinations like Lake Garda.
Reorganization of Tourists at Lake Garda–with Reactions
In addition to the new visitors from Northern Europe, Lake Garda is seeing a significant increase in tourists from the U.S., as reported by “Südtirol News.” According to booking data, the share of American hotel guests this year is around 16 percent, 4 percent more than in 2024. For tourism, this increase is positive. According to the report, Americans consume extensively, “book rooms in the high-price segment and enjoy good food and wine” at Lake Garda.
The growth in (affluent) visitors from the Arab world is also significant: Since 2022, the number of guests from Saudi Arabia has more than quintupled. And this clientele apparently needs to be retained.
First “Muslim-Friendly” Hotel in Riva del Garda
According to the report, a first five-star hotel in Riva del Garda wants to receive the “Muslim Friendly” certification. Together with the agency Whad Halal Development, the certification is expected to be completed this year. The portal “Il T quotidiano” posted this initiative on its Facebook page–with strong reactions. Not only does the term suggest that hotels without this label are automatically “not Muslim-friendly.” The majority of users do not understand why it is necessary to emphasize something like this. “Except, of course, if you want to express that, for example, there is a halal kitchen, no alcohol in the minibars, and the reception is designed according to the principles of the Quran,” writes one user.
Objectively speaking, there is a concern that such certifications overemphasize cultural and religious differences and indirectly exclude others by highlighting certain groups. Given the current tense geopolitical situation, a Jewish guest, for example, might feel that a hotel explicitly labeled as Muslim-friendly is not a neutral place for everyone. And a halal kitchen in Italy–a country known for its fine meats and aperitivo culture? That’s hard to imagine.