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In this study an hurdle model is used to analyze the tourism behavior ofItalian residents during the 2004-2013 period. Using the microdata from the quarterlys urvey on “Trips and holidays in Italy and abroad†carried out by the ItalianNational Institute of Statistics we investigate the factors that have influenced thetourism participation and the length of stay of residents in Italy in the years of theeconomic recession. The empirical results show that socio-economic characteristicsof the individuals and of their families have an important effect on their tourismparticipation; that these factors, together with some trips-related characteristics, affectthe total number of overnight stays; and that the economic recession impactednegatively on both aspects of tourism behaviour.