The Italian summer is brimming with extraordinary events. Over 4,000 activities, including concerts, festivals, conferences, and sports competitions, will attract more than 28 million visitors, both Italian and international, from June to September 2024, according to estimates by ENIT, the National Tourism Agency. Traditions, roots, and regional identity will particularly shine in villages and lesser-known, yet authentic and genuine destinations, which will play a crucial role. Country fairs and local festivals are expected to see a 63.8% increase in attendance compared to 2023. Each year, about 20,000 fairs in Italy draw 48 million visitors, primarily young people (31%) and families (45%). The main attractions will include approximately 290 sporting events, involving over 17 million attendees, and 2,000 music performances, attracting over 5 million participants. Additionally, 3.5 million spectators will attend medium-impact concerts, and nearly a million will attend high-impact ones.
Furthermore, 800 festivals and 100 exhibitions will play significant roles, drawing 3.7 million and 1.7 million participants, respectively. According to ENIT's analysis based on Data Appeal, Istat, and Bankitalia data, around 1.6 million air passengers are expected to arrive in Italy from June to September, with 82.7% coming from abroad and 17.3% from within the country, marking a 4% increase in domestic travelers compared to the same period in 2023. Among the top 20 countries of origin, nearly 30% of air travelers will be from Europe. The United States, a high-spending market, with over 285,000 expected passengers (18.3% of the total), will be the leading inbound market, followed by France, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom. On average, flights are booked 120 days in advance, with visitors staying for at least 12 nights.
