GDP share generated by travel & tourism in Italy 2019-2021

The share of travel and tourism's total contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) in Italy increased in 2021 over the previous year, after dropping sharply in 2020 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In 2021, travel and tourism generated, directly and indirectly, roughly 9.1 percent of the Italian GDP, rising from 6.1 percent in 2020 but remaining below pre-pandemic levels. Overall, the total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP in Italy amounted to roughly 163 billion euros in 2021.

Contribution of travel and tourism to employment

During the pandemic, the total contribution of travel and tourism to employment in Italy also experienced a substantial decline in 2020, then partially recovered in 2021. As of the latter year, travel and tourism in Italy contributed around 2.64 million jobs.

The impact of COVID-19 on tourism spending in Italy

The pandemic turned the travel and tourism sector upside down, as governments implemented stay-at-home measures to contain the health emergency. In March 2020, spending by international tourists in Italy went down sharply over the previous year. While this scenario improved in 2021, the monthly expenditure by inbound travelers in the country did not catch up with pre-pandemic levels. That said, domestic tourism expenditure in Italy bounced back in 2021, slightly surpassing the figure reported in 2019.