The biennial men’s golf competition held in Italy’s capital, Rome, from September 29 until October 1, gave this city’s tourism a significant boost, according to Italian government officials.
The competition held between teams from Europe and the United States, held for the first time in Italy, at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, attracted a large number of fans from these territories over three days.
About 58 per cent of rooms available via online channels had been booked in the Lazio region, Rome, as of September 25, according to the figures from the Tourism Ministry, thus accounting for more than in any other territory of Italy and significantly above a national monthly average of 45.5 per cent.
We understand, once again, the propulsive thrust that tourism receives from major sporting events.
In addition, Rome’s booking statistics were also above those reported for the southern Campania area, according to a report from Reuters, with tourist hotspots taking into account Siena, Florence, and Chianti hills.
The increase in the number of tourists was also welcomed by the capital’s mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, emphasising the importance of hosting big events in the city. In addition, the Italian government seeks to host the Expo 2030 World Fair in Rome.
Italy’s travel and tourism sector is experiencing a significant post-pandemic recovery, based on the data provided by the World Travel and Tourism Council’s 2023 Economic Impact Research (EIR), provided in July.
The same noted that the industry is expected to contribute a total of €194BN to the Italian economy by the end of this year.
In addition, the President and CEO of WTTC, Julia Simpson, said that the travel and tourism industry is among the biggest contributors to the economy of Italy.
The sector’s strong recovery is great news for jobs and prosperity across Italy as international visitors return. Over the next ten years, we expect tourism to grow to represent 12 per cent of the Italian GDP.
The figures from the country’s Ministry of Tourism also revealed that Italy is the second destination for this year, with a total of 39 per cent of accommodation facilities booked on online platforms.
According to the figures provided by Statista, the travel and tourism industry contributed more than €190 billion to the Italian GDP last year, remaining three per cent below the figures registered in 2019, before the spread of COVID-19 and COVID-related restrictions.
