The report on the survey on Italy's international tourism for 2023 is now available. The survey, which the Bank of Italy has been conducting since 1996 for the purpose of the compilation of the 'services' item of the balance of payments, collects data on tourism expenditure, inbound and outbound visitors and the main characteristics of the trip.
The results of the survey, conducted on the basis of interviews and counts of resident and non-resident travellers in transit at Italian borders, show that in 2023 growth in both tourist receipts and expenditures continued at a sustained pace. Both flows exceed pre-pandemic levels in nominal terms; in real terms, only expenditures are still slightly lower. The tourism balance surplus was 1.0 per cent of GDP, returning to the level of 2019. The growth in receipts was mainly due to the increase in the number of incoming travellers, especially those from more distant geographical areas, such as Asia and North America; the expenditure of foreign tourists who chose Italy for cultural visits and visits to cities of art also increased. The increase in expenditure is also largely due to spending in countries outside the EU. Despite the recovery, the number of both foreign tourists in Italy and Italian tourist abroad is still below pre-pandemic levels.
