Sud e città d’arte, così il turismo è cambiato con gli stranieri

The transformation of Italian tourism is highlighted by the increasing number of foreigners and their presence in the South and cities of art. According to Istat's data, the tourism landscape in Italy has undergone significant changes over the past six decades, from 1962 to 2025. In the post-war economic boom, three-quarters of overnight stays occurred in seven Central-Northern regions: Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Liguria, Lombardy, Tuscany, Trentino-Alto Adige, and Lazio.

Southern Italy accounted for just 11.7% of total stays, with foreigners constituting only 30.7% of the total. Sixty years later, the map remains dominated by the Central-North, but the South has doubled its share, and the weight of regions like Emilia-Romagna and Liguria has decreased, with Liguria dropping to three presences out of 100.

The distribution of stays has occurred during a period of rapid growth in the tourism industry, expanding from 161 to 481.1 million stays by 2025. While regions that saw a decline in their share still experienced a significant increase in stays, only Liguria saw a decrease of 6.4 million stays. Internationally, foreign tourists accounted for roughly two-thirds of total stays, with the number of tourists arriving from abroad now constituting a significant portion of overall stays.

The concentration of tourists in major cities and tourist destinations has led to a higher share of foreign stays in regions like Lazio (71.6%), Veneto (70.7%), Lombardy (68.1%), and Tuscany (59.2%). The change in tourism patterns can be attributed to the rise of low-cost flights, digital revolution, and the proliferation of hotel and vacation rental platforms.

Between 2018 and 2024, the number of nights booked through the four major platforms increased by nearly 92%, from around 66 to 127 million. Analyzing the composition of demand, nearly three out of four nights booked through these platforms were attributed to foreign clients. Considering online reservations for extra-albergue accommodations, the total for 2025 reached 535 million.

Among the top four most visited cities, Rome, Milan, Venice, and Florence have consistently held the top four positions, with their weight in the overall Italian tourism market increasing by three percentage points to 17.2% in 2025. Rome alone accounted for 9.4% of the total stays in 2025. Meanwhile, Naples has improved its ranking, moving from 15th to 12th place among the most visited cities.

In the main tourist centers, foreign visitors now make up more than three-quarters of the total in Rome, Milan, Venice, and Florence, and just over 60% in Naples.