Italy’s Ministry of the Interior has released its annual statistics from the “Alloggiati Web” border-registration platform, confirming that the country hosted 185 million tourist arrivals in 2025, up 7.1 % on the previous year. Foreign arrivals jumped 8.7 % to more than 104 million, while Italian domestic tourism grew 5.1 % to 81 million overnight stays. Hotels accounted for 104.7 million entries (+3 %), but the strongest growth came from the non-hotel segment—short-term rentals, agriturismi, B&Bs and campsites—which surged 13 % to 80.6 million.
Behind the headline figures lies a structural shift in Italy’s visitor economy. Analysts at the National Tourism Observatory point to the rapid rebound of long-haul markets such as the United States, Canada and Japan, all of which now exceed their 2019 volumes. Meanwhile, price-sensitive European travellers are spreading beyond the classic city-break destinations to secondary regions such as Puglia and Le Marche, encouraged by expanded low-cost air links and high-speed rail connections.
If you or your clients need help securing the correct travel documents for Italy, VisaHQ streamlines the entire visa-application process online, offers up-to-date entry guidance and provides live support—saving valuable time as arrivals continue to grow. Check requirements or start an application at https://www.visahq.com/italy/.
![Italy Records 185 Million Tourist Arrivals in 2025, 8.7 % Rise in Foreign Visitors]()
For mobility managers the numbers underline the strain on entry-border resources. Immigration police processed 1.2 million more electronic passport scans at the country’s top five airports, and Schengen passenger volumes through Milan Malpensa alone rose 11 %. With the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) due to go live in October 2025, airports face a further step-change in throughput requirements. Operators at Rome Fiumicino and Venice Marco Polo have already accelerated the deployment of biometric e-gates and are hiring multilingual staff to guide non-EU passengers through the new kiosks.
Hospitality companies are also bracing for tighter labour markets. Hoteliers’ association Federalberghi says the sector still needs 40,000 seasonal workers for the 2026 summer, and is lobbying the government to allocate a larger quota for non-EU seasonal staff in the next Decreto Flussi. Travel buyers should anticipate higher room rates in Milan and Florence during major trade-fair periods and secure allotments early.
Finally, the data provide useful benchmarks for expatriate programme planners. Cities such as Turin (+14 % arrivals) and Bologna (+12 %) are emerging as corporate-relocation destinations thanks to new life-science and automotive investments. Relocation providers advise booking temporary accommodation at least three months in advance and budgeting for rent increases of 6-8 % in the principal university cities.
Behind the headline figures lies a structural shift in Italy’s visitor economy. Analysts at the National Tourism Observatory point to the rapid rebound of long-haul markets such as the United States, Canada and Japan, all of which now exceed their 2019 volumes. Meanwhile, price-sensitive European travellers are spreading beyond the classic city-break destinations to secondary regions such as Puglia and Le Marche, encouraged by expanded low-cost air links and high-speed rail connections.
If you or your clients need help securing the correct travel documents for Italy, VisaHQ streamlines the entire visa-application process online, offers up-to-date entry guidance and provides live support—saving valuable time as arrivals continue to grow. Check requirements or start an application at https://www.visahq.com/italy/.
For mobility managers the numbers underline the strain on entry-border resources. Immigration police processed 1.2 million more electronic passport scans at the country’s top five airports, and Schengen passenger volumes through Milan Malpensa alone rose 11 %. With the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) due to go live in October 2025, airports face a further step-change in throughput requirements. Operators at Rome Fiumicino and Venice Marco Polo have already accelerated the deployment of biometric e-gates and are hiring multilingual staff to guide non-EU passengers through the new kiosks.
Hospitality companies are also bracing for tighter labour markets. Hoteliers’ association Federalberghi says the sector still needs 40,000 seasonal workers for the 2026 summer, and is lobbying the government to allocate a larger quota for non-EU seasonal staff in the next Decreto Flussi. Travel buyers should anticipate higher room rates in Milan and Florence during major trade-fair periods and secure allotments early.
Finally, the data provide useful benchmarks for expatriate programme planners. Cities such as Turin (+14 % arrivals) and Bologna (+12 %) are emerging as corporate-relocation destinations thanks to new life-science and automotive investments. Relocation providers advise booking temporary accommodation at least three months in advance and budgeting for rent increases of 6-8 % in the principal university cities.
