Lunigiana reports rising tourism despite population and business decline

The Lunigiana region is experiencing a divergence between its tourism and real estate sectors and its demographic and industrial health. According to the Lunigiana 2026 report by the North West Tuscany Chamber of Commerce Research Institute, tourism arrivals increased by 11% in 2025 compared to 2019, driven largely by a 13% rise in foreign tourists.

In the real estate market, average prices per square meter fell by 9%, though property transactions increased by nearly 70% compared to 2019 levels.

Conversely, the region faces significant demographic and economic challenges. The population decreased by 6.2% since 2015, characterized by an aging population where pensions account for 38% of total income. Additionally, the number of businesses in the area has dropped by 9% over the last six years, with notable declines in the industrial (-15.5%), retail (-14.6%), and construction (-12.1%) sectors, even as the services sector grew by 4.1%.