An Increase in American Tourists

Walking down the street in Sorrento, Positano, and Amalfi hearing people speaking English is no surprise. Why? The areas are filled with English-speaking tourists.

Since John Steinbak wrote a glowing review of Positano back in the 1950s, the Amalfi coast and Sorrento Peninsula have been popular destinations for American Tourists.

Growing up in America, the idea of traveling to Italy was always an exciting one. Whether it was because a great-grandparent immigrated from here or they are simply intrigued by the fabulous food, wine and scenery, it is definitely a place included on people’s bucket lists.

While it has always been a favorite vacation spot for Americans, locals say this summer is seeing an increase in English-speaking tourists. Even back in the US people could notice more and more people including a trip to Italy in their summer plans, particularly to the Amalfi Coast.

Why? With the way vacation time works for most jobs in America, people can take one big vacation a year, typically for about a week or two. Over the last two years, vacations were rare if not nonexistent, and traveling abroad was not an option. This summer, as borders re-open and mask mandates melt away, Americans are ready to travel again, and with the money and vacation days saved up from not traveling for two years, a trip abroad seems more accessible than ever.

Social media has also played a role in people’s desire to travel to the area. Twenty years ago, most Americans would have known Italy only as what they read in guidebooks and saw in limited pictures on the internet, or that they might have seen of a friend or family member’s trip. Today, all a person has to do is type Positano into the Instagram search bar, and an endless feed of gorgeous photos of Positano comes up that could inspire even those who hate pasta to dream of visiting the picturesque town.

While locals appear to have mixed feelings about all the Americans flocking to this part of Italy, there is no doubt that Sorrento, Positano and the Amalfi Coast make for an ideal vacation spot.