More and more Italians are booking their holidays, choosing to pay for them in instalments.
Just one click: the trip is confirmed and the cost is divided into three or more payments, often without interest.
It is the so-called Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL), a formula created for online purchases but now increasingly widespread also in tourism. If used with common sense it can be a convenient tool, but it can turn into a problem when it becomes a way to afford expenses that your family budget cannot support.
The numbers explain why the phenomenon deserves attention. Secondo la Banca d’Italia, in 2022 only 4% of families had used Buy Now Pay Later. In 2025 the share rose to 30%. It is true that many use it only occasionally, but the growth was very rapid.
The most interesting aspect, however, concerns those who use this tool. The Bank of Italy notes that BNPL is more widespread among families with medium-low incomes, limited assets and other debts already in progress. In addition, the appeal is particularly frequent among those who are already late in paying other loans.
This doesn't mean that paying for a holiday in installments is always a bad choice. If the trip has been planned and the installments fall within the family budget without difficulty, BNPL may simply be a different payment method.
The problem arises when installments become a habit. The holiday, lo smartphone, the household appliance, clothing: every purchase seems to weigh little, but the sum of the installments can significantly reduce the disposable income of the following months.
Before choosing to pay in installments it is worth asking yourself a very simple question: I would still take this holiday if I had to pay for it today in a lump sum? If the answer is no, Maybe the problem is not the payment method, but the cost of the holiday compared to your availability.
From 20 November 2026 The new European rules on consumer credit will also come into force (CCD2), which will also include a large part of Buy Now Pay Later operations. Operators will have to carry out more thorough creditworthiness checks and provide more transparent information to consumers.
It's an important step forward, but the best protection is always conscious management of the family budget. Holidays are an investment in your well-being and family relationships. Precisely for this reason they should leave good memories, no installments to pay when you have already returned to everyday life.
Alex Gaetani
Read the Buy Now Pay Later report: market characteristics, risk and regulatory developmentsi