Piedmont tourism arrivals rise 9.2% in first half of 2026

Tourist arrivals in Italy’s Piedmont region increased by 9.22% in the first six months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, placing the region third nationally after Calabria and Umbria and well above the national average of 4.5%. International visitors to Piedmont grew even faster, up 10.38% versus the country’s 6.45% rise.

Regional tourism assessor Paolo Bongioanni attributed the surge to a coordinated promotion strategy that links the region’s agro‑food and wine offerings with tourism, a summer advertising campaign on national TV, and high‑profile events such as a New York showcase at “Summer Fancy Food”.

Nationally, Italy expects a record tourism season in 2026, with overall arrivals projected to grow 4.43% year‑on‑year. Calabria leads with a 10.54% increase, followed by Umbria (9.70%) and Piedmont (9.22%). Occupancy across Italian accommodations reached 51.2%, higher than Spain (42.8%) and France (32.9%). The Ministry of Tourism’s Gianmarco Mazzi highlighted the sector’s resilience amid global challenges, and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni praised the results. Other regions, including Abruzzo, also reported strong growth, underscoring a broad upward trend in Italian tourism.