In a recent in-depth article published by Verona Economy, the cross-analysis of the various monitoring sources highlights a positive August for the hotel industry in Verona and on Lake Garda. Although mobile phone data recorded a drop in pedestrian footfall in the historic centre (mainly due to the extreme heat), the consolidated accommodation data compiled by HBenchmark for the Destination Verona & Garda Foundation show an increase in overnight stays, accompanied by a rise in spending monitored by the Mastercard banking network.

The figures confirm how the resident component and high added-value demand have ensured the economic resilience of local businesses.

The key points that emerged from the analysis

• Hotel occupancy on the rise in Verona (82.1% – Source: HBenchmark): In the Municipality of Verona, the average room occupancy in August rises to’82,1% (compared with 80.2% in August 2025), with the historic centre at 81.4% and the inner suburbs at 83.1%.
• Performance in the province (+5.8%) and on Lake Garda (84.8% – Source: HBenchmark): The province of Verona has seen a surge in employment, rising from 72.1% to 77,9%, with the average length of stay rising to 3.4 nights. Lake Garda closes August with a’84,8% (with the Lower Lake at 86.31 TP3T).
• Pedestrian crossings and phone data: The drop in daily attendance recorded in the city centre emerges from the analysis of the telephone boxes (Confcommercio/VeronaUp), which measures physical footfall but not the resident component in hotels.
• Tourism consumption and expenditure (Mastercard source): The figures for the first half of the year confirm an increase in bank transaction volumes (+6% in the centre of Verona, +12% on Lake Garda), demonstrating the strong spending power of international customers.
• Positive autumn prospects for September and October (Source: HBenchmark): Bookings already secured for the autumn stand at 59,8% in the Municipality of Verona (up on 2025), driven by the Arena season and major trade fairs such as Marmomac (already at 70% of booked occupancy).

As pointed out by Maurizio Russo, President of Federalberghi Verona, and Paolo Artelio, President of the DVG Foundation, the availability of reliable and integrated data provided by HBenchmark proves essential for measuring the true quality of visitor flows and planning local development strategies.