Total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP in Italy 1999-2020

Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the total contribution of travel and tourism to the Italian gross domestic product (GDP) fell sharply in 2020 over the previous year. In 2020, travel and tourism, one of the most important industries for the country’s economy, contributed nearly 116 billion euros to the Italian GDP, decreasing from over 236 billion euros in 2019. Overall, the share of GDP generated by travel and tourism in Italy reached seven percent in 2020, almost halving over 2019.

Direct contribution of travel and tourism in Italy

While total contribution refers to both direct and indirect impacts, the direct contribution of travel and tourism to the GDP only indicates the gross domestic product generated by industries strictly related to tourism, like hotels, airlines, travel agencies, and other tourist services. In 2019, the direct contribution of travel and tourism to the Italian GDP amounted to nearly 103 billion euros, the highest figure recorded since 1999. Meanwhile, also the direct contribution of travel and tourism to employment in Italy peaked in 2019 when this industry directly generated over 1.7 million jobs.

The COVID-19 impact on inbound and outbound tourism spending

In 2020, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic hit the travel and tourism industry hard, as lockdowns and travel bans were put in place around the world to face the health crisis. In Italy, the pandemic had a dramatic impact on both international and outbound tourism spending. In December 2020, the spending of international tourists in Italy amounted to roughly 454 million euros, while it reached about 2.4 billion euros in the same period of 2019. As of the same month, the expenditure of Italian outbound tourists was 311 million euros, whereas it added up to 1.9 billion euros in December 2019.