Tourism is among the driving forces of the Italian economy. In 2023, Italy was confirmed as the second largest destination for overnight stays in Europe (Eurostat, 2024), and fifth in the world for international tourist arrivals (UNWTO). The Bel Paese showed a growth of 15 percent, ranking second behind Germany, achieving +3.5 percent overnight stays compared to 2022. Lombardy, Lazio, Veneto and Tuscany are the main destinations for international tourism, both in terms of arrivals and overnight stays.
Tourism spending from abroad in Italy reached a total of 51.6 billion euros in 2023. The tourism sector now accounts for about 13% of Italy’s GDP (latest ISTAT data 2024). Italy manages to attract millions of people every year, who dream of discovering art cities, local traditions, gastronomy, and increasingly fuel shopping tourism, luxury travel and wedding tourism. This is what emerges from the report just published by Rome Business School, “The Business of Tourism in Italy. Analysis and Perspectives by Sector,” edited by Valerio Mancini, Director of Rome Business School’s Center for Disclosure Research.
The richness of cultural heritage is the main driver of choice for tourists visiting Italy (24 percent), followed by natural beauty (20 percent). Constantly growing, according to the Enit-Unioncamere/Isnart study (February 2024), is the motivation related to events in the territory (cultural, religious, sports, etc.), “attractors” of more than 6.5 percent of tourists (55 million presences between Italians and foreigners), a cluster this characterized by an above-average propensity to purchases (93 euros the expenses made in the territory, excluding travel and accommodation, compared to an average of 65 euros, for estimated consumption of 7.8 billion euros, or 9.3 percent of the total).
Cultural interest in Italy will generate a turnover of $12 billion by 2028, marking a +160% compared to 2021, with an annual growth of 14.4%. Gastronomy also plays an important role: food and wine interests for typical products and Made in Italy agribusiness alone move 1 out of 4 tourists (22.3% of Italian tourists and 29.9% of foreigners).
The regions most affected by international spending on cultural vacation were Lazio with about 5 billion euros, Veneto with nearly 2.9 billion euros, Tuscany with 2.7 billion euros, Lombardy with over 1.2 billion and Campania with about 890 million euros. These 5 regions together accounted for 81.3 percent of the total cultural vacation spending by foreigners. Rome stands out as Italy’s top tourist destination with 27 million visitors in 2023. According to the 2024 report “Cultural Tourism in Italy” by The Data Appeal Company, Rome records the highest Sentiment Score of cultural attractions of over 93/100 compared to the city’s Sentiment Score of 86.7/100. It also dominates the ranking of Italy’s most valued attractions in 2023, with 5 attractions in the top 10, led with much difference by the Colosseum Archaeological Park with more than 7.56 million visitors.
Travelers seeking sports activities are also on the rise, and the 2025 Winter Olympics in Cortina will undoubtedly bring in a lot of revenue. Currently, the regions most interested in sports tourism are those in the Northeast, where 46.6 percent of spending (48 million euros) is concentrated, with Trentino-Alto Adige leading the way (28 million euros). In the municipalities of Milan, Cortina, Bormio and Livigno, the business of the sectors most directly involved with the 2026 Winter Olympics will be 14 billion euros, according to estimates by the Milan, Monza Brianza and Lodi Chamber of Commerce.
The growth of shopping tourism also continues: in 2023, 2.1 million tourists chose Italy for a shopping vacation (+7% compared to 2019). According to Risposte Turismo, in 2025 the number of outlet villages and department stores active in our country will touch 100. Via Montenapoleone in Milan will rise in 2024 to second place in the world ranking by retail value per square meter (18 thousand euros, +31% compared to 2019). The cities most associated with shopping by this demand segment are, in this order: Rome, Milan, Naples, Venice and Florence.
There is no shortage of the impact of luxury travel, which also includes wellness and retreat travelers, accounting for 3 percent of GDP, or half of the tourism sector. In fact, along the Peninsula, accommodations above 4 stars account for nearly 22 percent of total hotel establishments, confirming a steady trend in the hospitality world as well: between the early 1980s and 2023, luxury hotel supply increased by 191 percent and is expected to increase by 12 percent by 2033. Globally, according to the “Wellness Tourism Market Outlook 2023-2033,” the global wellness tourism market is expected to reach $2.3 trillion by the end of 2033.
Finally, a steadily growing phenomenon within the Italian tourism offer is wedding tourism, which is becoming a flagship for the country. In 2023 alone, it recorded a turnover of 599 million euros, about 11 percent more than the levels estimated in 2019. Tuscany leads the charts, with 21 percent of foreign couples choosing its scenic and artistic beauty, followed by Lombardy and Campania.
“Puglia is growing strongly, and the whole supply chain is networking to create a quality product that can attract more and more couples. The big challenge for Italy will be to enhance all the other destinations that are not only luxury and also to make known the areas that are less inflated by mass tourism,” says Valerio Mancini.
Among tourists, millennials (28-44 years old) account for 41.1 percent of the total: high school graduates and college graduates, employed and with a medium-high economic status, with a good propensity to spend and looking for quality experiences, knowing and “tasting” the territories in their different excellences. As for the type of tourism by region, Abruzzo is the main destination for green tourism, Lazio for business travel, Emilia-Romagna for sports tourism, and Trentino-Alto Adige and Campania for bicycle tourism.
Italy is the second largest destination for overnight stays in Europe. A Europe that leads the 2024 and 2025 destinations in overnight stays growth, where Italy will record +15 percent. Lombardy, Latium, Veneto and Tuscany are the top destinations for international tourism, both in terms of arrivals and overnight stays.
The authors emphasize how the incorporation of technology is key to improving tourism offerings, and how smart cities can be the ideal environment for deploying the potential of technological innovations in the tourism sector. In this context, the ICityRate 2023 ranking ranks Bergamo, Florence, Milan and Modena as Italy’s “innovation leaders.” These four “leading” cities are followed by Bologna, Genoa, Turin, Trento, Venice (present twice in the top ten) and then Cagliari, Cremona, Padua, Rome Capital, Monza, Parma and Vicenza. Together, they make up the group of 16 “highly digital” cities, with scores above 65/100 in the three ratings.
The report also highlights new types of tourists on the rise: open air seekers, travelers looking for authentic and immersive experiences in nature; active challengers, enthusiasts of extreme sports and activities̀; gourmands, who appreciate the authenticitỳ of each dish and the connection to local food culture; and historians, art and culture lovers who seek not just places, but deep and engaging cultural experiences.
“Tourists today are looking for sustainable, nature-based experiences. They are eager to immerse themselves in local culture and explore hidden gems,” Mancini says. In fact, 79 percent of Millennials and Gen-Z aspire to experience a typical day in the local life, while 68 percent are excited to discover lesser-known places before they become popular. Among the must-visit destinations in Italy in 2024 according to Visit Italy are Tropea (Calabria), Mantua (Lombardy) and Sorano (Tuscany). “These countries reflect what tourists are looking for today. They are destinations where there is a strong local community, capable of understanding the importance of investing in tourism while respecting traditions and keeping their historical identity intact, through the creation of sustainable projects and thanks to the development of an important and strategic digital presence,” Mancini continues.
According to Confcommercio, travel agencies and tour operators report a different approach on the part of the customer in the post-pandemic era: the traveler is more informed, demanding and requires personalized services (62 percent of the sample analyzed), while 38 percent note that the demand for security and therefore additional insurance services has increased. For almost 30%, then, customers have more desire to explore and thus requests for long-haul have grown despite the increase in costs.