Tourism in Italy: figures and potential for development

The paper analyses the main trends and structural characteristics of the Italian tourism sector, which accounts for more than 5% of GDP and more than 6% of employment in the country. The study shows that in recent years the national tourist system has recorded a good growth performance, boosted by rapidly-expanding international demand for tourism services and by the competitive advantage of a unique artistic and cultural heritage. This has been associated with an upgrading of hotel accommodation in favour of higher-quality structures, and with an expansion of the non-hotel segment, partly fostered by the spread of the sharing economy and online intermediation. It is apparent, however, that some tourism potential still needs to be exploited � especially in Southern Italy, where the sector seems relatively undersized � and that potential risks are associated with the growing concentration of tourist flows in few locations. In order to cope with these problems, the paper argues that there should be a nationwide coordination of tourism policies, providing stable guidelines for the sector.