Italy Tourism
Discover Why Millions of People Vacation Here Yearly 

Italy Tourism

There is no doubt about the fact that Italy tourism is growing rapidly, but did you know that every year over 64 million people from around the globe choose to spend their hard-earned vacation time here? This makes Italy one of the top 10 destinations and the 5th most visited country in the world. You’re not alone in your desire to make Italy your next vacation spot, millions of others recognize the significance of the beauty, adventure and history this country has to offer. 


Italy tourism is considered to be one of the most profitable industries in the country and represents about 15% of their GDP as well as about 13% of Italian jobs. In 2018 alone this sector brought in €42.6 billion of revenue to the Italian economy and this number keeps growing.

The first boost of tourism Italy began to experience was in the late 17th century when rich families travelled here for the world renowned art and the amazing historical monuments. By the late 19th century, Italian tourism and its growing popularity spread to the families of the middle class who could now afford to come and experience the culture, beauty and diversity this amazing peninsula had to offer. Finally, by the end of the 20th century - tourism here became a huge sensation and a major economical sector that Italy still benefits from to this day. Italian tourism sees the largest number of visitors from Germany, UK, France and US among many other countries.

Needles too say - it can get very busy here during the peak months when the most popular destinations like Rome, Milan, Venice, Florence and Rimini just to name a few, become overcrowded. To avoid crowds and enjoy mild weather, best time to visit Italy is from April-June & September-October. Most Italians take holidays in August which makes places such as trainshotels & seaside resorts fairly busy.

The Italian government is constantly making attempts to divert the tourism Italy receives in these crowded areas by promoting smaller destinations, local craftsmanship, agritourism and wine country tours just to name a few. This is done to reduce the toll on the quality of life of local people but also to preserve Italy's heritage and the endangered historical monuments, some of which are suffering near-extinction due to age, heavy traffic or climate change.


Reasons Why Italy Tourism is So Popular

There are a few reasons why Italian tourism is so popular among travellers from various parts of the world. Below are a few that are worth mentioning:

  • History - Italy is one place that has a very complicated and rich history. It also has 55 UNESCO World Heritage sites - the most in the world, and the peninsula now known as Italy is considered to be the birthplace of Western civilization
  • Weather - This country enjoys quite a diverse climate depending on the season and your geographical location. Italian weather is region-dependant and is broken down into 3 zones: Italy's north, the Po Valley and the south. No matter where you are, the warm season is fairly long here - even in the northern parts which makes it attractive for people that enjoy a moderate, Mediterranean climate. The tourism Italy sees does not just happen during the warm months - winter season also attracts many skiers, snowboarders, mountain climbers and so forth. The mountainous regions of the north are considered one of the top world destinations for winter sport enthusiasts
  • Landscape - Italy is rich with breathtaking views and stunning landscapes. It houses everything from picturesque rocky shores, to golden sandy coasts, to snowy mountain tops and is also the home to more than 1500 lakes. Because of this - Italy is the ideal destination spot for anyone who appreciates nature, adventure travel or just admiring the vast, beautiful surroundings this landscape has to offer
  • Art & Design - Italy is known as a world leader for their immeasurable collection of masterpieces which come in many forms of art. These include - the diverse architectural style, worldly iconic paintings, timeless sculptures, breathtaking murals and much more. Furthermore, Italy is notorious for its leading edge design in fashion, furniture and many luxury performance cars
  • Food - Italian food is known all over the world and their traditional style of cooking developed over centuries. No great vacation is complete here without a proper dining experience and there are countless choices of great restaurants that are sure to satisfy those tastebuds. Italy is also notorious for their deliciously strong coffee, amazing variety of wine and superb freshly-made ice cream just to name a few things to go along with your scrumptious meal
  • Shopping - Italy is considered one of the best places in Europe to please the shopping enthusiasts. There are plenty of stores, boutiques, outlets, and shopping malls to get your fill of the latest fashion trends. Price tags here are not the cheapest, however, often times you can find sales in the off-season, typically January-February and the end of summer. Rome and Milan are known to be the busiest shopping destinations, but pretty much anywhere you go - there are plenty of souvenir shops, clothing stores, sporting goods outlets, furniture showrooms and so much more

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