Tourism direct GVA (2023) | Tourism direct employment (2023) | Travel exports (2024) |
|---|---|---|
5.4% of total GVA (down 0.8 percentage points since 2019) | 8.5% of total employment (down 0.3 percentage points since 2019) | 37.9% of total service exports (up 0.2 percentage points since 2023) |
OECD Tourism Trends and Policies 2026
National tourism strategy: Strategic Tourism Plan 2023-2027
National tourism administration: Ministry of Tourism
National tourism budget: EUR 340 million (2025)
Key tourism policy priorities and actions:
Promoting sustainable and balanced tourism development – Diversifying destinations and redistributing visitor flows to lesser‑known areas to ease pressure on major sites, support more even economic benefits, and reduce seasonality.
Advancing the digital and green transition of the tourism ecosystem – Strengthening digitalisation through the Tourism Digital Hub and promoting resource‑efficient, low‑impact tourism models aligned with EU Green Deal objectives, including soft mobility.
Enhancing workforce quality and competitiveness – Investing in specialised training across tourism sectors and reinforcing professional standards, particularly for tourist guides, to raise service quality and attract skilled talent.
Tourism is an important driver of economic development in Italy and has recovered strongly in recent years. The sector directly accounted for 5.4% of GVA and employed 2.1 million people in 2023, contributing 8.5% of total employment. In 2024, travel exports represented 37.9% of total service exports, approaching the pre-pandemic levels of 40.5% and a slight increase compared to 37.7% in 2023.
In 2024, Italy received 57.7 million inbound tourists, an increase of 0.8% compared to 2023. International visitors spent almost 381 million nights, down 0.6% compared to 2023. The top three international source markets by overnight arrivals were Germany (17%), United Kingdom (11%) and France (11%). It is estimated that international arrivals increased by 6.3% in 2025.
Domestic tourism is an important part of the Italian tourism sector, with 38.0 million overnight domestic trips in 2024, a decrease of 7.5% compared to 2023.
The Ministry of Tourism plays a leading role in strategic planning, policy co-ordination and innovation, including national strategic co-ordination, implementation of development plans, promotion of initiatives to improve the tourist offer and planning of tourist assistance mechanisms. The Ministry underwent a re-organisation in 2024 with the aim to create a stable, transparent and modern structure with strengthened efficiency, operational capacity and the ability to respond strategically to tourism sector challenges.
The Ministry supports and supervises the National Agency for Tourism (ENIT), which oversees the promotion and marketing of the national image and brand, and collaborates with the Italian Alpine Club (CAI), responsible for the promotion of mountaineering, conservation and study of the Italian Alps. The National Agency for Tourism actively collaborates with tourism stakeholders through regular meetings to continuously improve the sector.
The Italian Constitution attributes several key competences to the regions. However, central and regional authorities co-operate through agreements, institutional co-ordination mechanisms and planning instruments, jointly exercising regulatory powers on numerous issues concerning tourism. Each region has the legislative authority to adopt three-year plans with annual programs that outline responsibilities, goals and guidelines for tourism management. Strategic collaboration between central authorities and local institutions is co-ordinated through the Unified Conference.
The State budget for tourism policy measures provides EUR 777.5 million through 2027, of which over EUR 340 million was allocated for 2025. More than EUR 152 million has been refinanced for special supplementary allowances related to night and overtime work in the tourism, hospitality and restaurant sector, and EUR 110 million has been allocated for development contracts, aimed at supporting growth and innovation in the tourism supply chain.
Source: OECD, adapted from the Italian Ministry of Tourism, 2026.
The Strategic Tourism Plan 2023–2027 guides Italy’s tourism development through five pillars: governance, innovation, quality and inclusion, training and careers, and sustainability. It provides a long‑term, structured industrial strategy focused on quality and competitiveness, supported by targeted investments, including the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Through the Revolving Fund for Enterprises, EUR 1.38 billion has been allocated in grants and subsidised loans to upgrade tourism services and facilities while promoting digitalisation and sustainability.
A key tool for sustainable tourism development is the Tourism Digital Hub (TDH), a multichannel platform with a dual purpose: enhancing the visitor experience through simple, integrated, high‑quality access to national tourism services, principally via italia.it, and supporting operators with innovative digital tools for professional development and continuous skills improvement.
Italy is strengthening its role in international tourism governance. In 2024, it hosted the first G7 Tourism Summit, bringing together G7 ministers and representatives from the EU, OECD and UN Tourism. The meeting concluded with the Florence Declaration, defining shared strategic priorities for global tourism.
Improved institutional co-ordination has also supported regulatory reforms. The Reform of the Tourist Guide Profession (December 2023) introduced a standardised national framework for licensing and practice to ensure quality, transparency, merit‑based access, skills development, and cultural heritage protection. Key measures include: a national list of tourist guides, a national qualification exam, a digital platform for guides, and continuing education through thematic and geographical specialisation courses. A tutor system for guides from EU/EEA countries and Switzerland supports international integration, with over 330 tutors registered by September 2025.
Italy is investing in tourism workforce development through the Tourism Training Fund, which launched two calls: one for free training courses in hospitality, wellness, and food & beverage; and one to establish the National Strategic Centre for Higher Education in Tourism, an academic‑professional ecosystem offering master’s programmes, advanced training, and excellence courses in collaboration with universities, ITS, research centres, and businesses. A complementary Tourism Professions Portal is under development, providing support for training, job matching, and transparency across four areas: Professions, Work, Training, and Events/Communication.
To attract and retain workers, Italy expanded in 2025 the tax exemption on tips from 25% to 30% and raised the income threshold for eligibility from EUR 50 000 to EUR 75 000.
In 2025, Italy also introduced the “Staff House” programme (EUR 120 million for 2025–2027) to create housing for seasonal workers in high‑demand destinations.
Established in 2022, the Unified National Tourism Fund remains the main instrument for co-ordinating and financing national tourism policy. It supports both operational measures, such as events, promotion, and initiatives, and capital investments in tourism infrastructure. Its 2025 priorities include extending the tourism season, boosting business tourism and Made in Italy excellence, and promoting sports and cultural tourism, while advancing environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Digital innovation and AI are considered key levers to improve accessibility and overall service quality.
Italy is also developing a National Nautical Tourism Strategic Development Plan aiming to address promotion, infrastructure needs, regulatory frameworks for port use, financing and investment, and training.
Italy has created the Tourism Digital Hub (TDH) to connect tourists and operators and to build a unified national digital tourism ecosystem. It addresses structural gaps and provides an institutional tool that engages all stakeholders and offers a reliable source of information by:
Standardising Data: Collecting, organising, and harmonising fragmented data on attractions, services, and tourist flows from regional and private sources to support evidence‑based policymaking and data‑driven destination management.
Centralising Information: Offering a single, reliable source that complements and interoperates with diverse local platforms.
Boosting Competitiveness: Using digital tools to improve tourism quality and strengthen the global visibility of Italian destinations.
For tourists, the TDH provides updated, personalised, and easily accessible information through real‑time data integration, acting as a secure and trustworthy portal. All operators on the platform are verified through the Italian Chamber of Commerce, and all accommodation providers must hold a National Identification Code, a new measure to improve transparency in accommodation and short‑term rentals.
Accreditation also covers extra‑hotel operators and individual tourist guides, whose information is verified through the National Register of Tourist Guides and the National Database of Accommodation Facilities to ensure accuracy and compliance.
To support professionals, the Operators’ Portal offers a dedicated digital space for accredited operators, providing services and tools to enhance skills and continuously improve the tourism offer. It includes advanced data‑analysis tools and predictive models, such as tourism performance infographics, a thematic Data Journal, interactive dashboards on demand, supply and sustainability, and a forecasting model for arrivals.
The Portal also offers a comprehensive upskilling and reskilling programme with over 120 online courses, along with dedicated services for tourism SMEs to promote innovation and competitiveness.
Additional features include digital services from start‑ups selected through public calls, tools for accessing funding opportunities, solutions to improve digital presence and online visibility, ESG sustainability assessment tools, experience‑planning solutions, a digital concierge service, and dedicated operator support throughout all interactions with the TDH.