Panic in Italy as tourists abandon beaches over sunbed price hikes

Tourists are abandoning Italian beaches this summer due to the skyhigh cost of renting a pair of sunbeds for the day.

According to research by an Italian consumer group, over the last four years the average cost of two loungers and a parasol has lept from around £154 to around £180 per day. Whole stretches of Italy's premium coastal locations are privately owned, meaning locals and tourists often have to fork out to hire a lounger at a beach club, if they want to access the country's best sandy spots.

Spiralling costs have kicked off an exodus from popular Italian resorts, with officials reporting visitors to beaches in the spectacular regions of Calabria and Emilia-Romagna down by 15% to 25% for June and July, compared to figures for last year.

Research, published by the Independent, suggests the cost of renting an umbrella and a parasol at the country's 213 beach resorts has soared by 5% on last summer. Prices have also gone up around 17% in the last four years, according to consumer group Altroconsumo.

The group found that the resort of Alassio on the Ligurian coast had the most expensive prices for two loungers at £292 a day, with Gallipoli not far behind with £253 prices, and Alghero fetching £206.

President of the Italian Beach Resorts Syndicate (Sib), Antonio Capacchione, said the spiralling costs paired with rising living costs, has meant many Italians have put off their traditional trips to the beach.

He said: "Even with two salaries, many families struggle to reach the end of the month.

"In such circumstances, it's natural that the first expenses to be cut are those for leisure, entertainment and holidays."