Tourism continues to be a significant driver of the Italian economy, with over EUR 223 billion expected to flow into the country's coffers from this sector. This estimate comes from the Economic Impact Research conducted by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). These figures surpass the highly impactful EUR 215 billion of 2023. Julia Simpson, CEO of WTTC, highlighted that this also reflects in employment figures, with jobs reaching record numbers, increasing by 185,000 annually to a total of 2.97 million nationwide, meaning one in eight persons is employed in the sector. While the personnel shortage post-COVID remains unresolved, there is a gradual return to normalcy, with a growing number of young people and women finding employment. Positive data also emerges regarding spending by international visitors, exceeding previous years at EUR 51.4 billion (+20% compared to 2022), with a projected growth reaching EUR 56.7 billion. Italy, alongside France and Spain, stands out as one of the best-performing destinations in Europe, offering authentic experiences sought by visitors. Domestic tourism is also robust, with national visitors spending over EUR 117.5 billion in 2023 (+2.6%), expected to rise further to EUR 119 billion in the current year.

According to ForwardKeys, WTTC's partner, international air arrivals in the next quarter will surpass 2023 by 12%, with summer forecasts aligning with this upward trend. Particularly, bookings for arrivals in Italy in July and August show a 13% increase compared to last year. Significant growth is noted not only from neighboring countries like Spain (+44%) and Austria (+30%) but also from Denmark (+43%) and notably the United States, representing the most significant long-haul market with a 14% year-on-year growth, with significant arrivals from Philadelphia (+46%), Charlotte (+21%), and Minneapolis (+14%). Italy's current trend is highly positive, with experts forecasting this to continue for the next decade. The outlook suggests tourism will contribute EUR 270 billion to the national economy (equivalent to 12.6%) with 3.56 million employees, representing 15.7% of the workforce. Among the locales where the economy heavily relies on tourism, Taormina stands out as the main tourist destination in Sicily and a reference point, alongside Capri, for vacationers in the South.

Source: https://taorminanews24.com/world-travel-tourism-council-turismo-sempre-piu-motore-delleconomia/