Italy tourism sees rise in presences and South American visitors

In the second quarter of 2026, Italian tourism saw nearly 47 million arrivals and almost 148 million presences, according to Istat data. While arrivals saw a slight decrease of 0.8% compared to the same period in 2025, total presences increased by 3.9%. Foreign tourists accounted for 61.6% of all presences, marking a 4.6% increase in foreign visitors compared to the previous year.

The hospitality sector recorded 27.6 million arrivals and 77.6 million presences, while the non-hotel sector—including short-term rentals and apartments—contributed over 19.3 million arrivals and approximately 70.3 million presences. The non-hotel sector saw a higher growth rate in presences at 5.6%, compared to 2.4% in the hotel sector.

Regional data highlights a significant shift in visitor demographics in the Salento area. In the province of Lecce, arrivals from South America, specifically Brazil and Argentina, have grown from fewer than 4,000 in 2019 to over 25,000 in the first seven months of 2026. In the city of Lecce, South American visitors now represent nearly 11% of the total international tourism. While France remains the leading market for the province, the growth of South American travelers marks a notable transformation in international tourism flows.