Market – Italy

Switzerland Tourism Italy counts 9 employees and two offices in Milan and Rome.

Milan

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	Justine Kaeser, Marketing Manager Italy
Contact	+39 0276013202 justine.kaeser@switzerland.com LinkedIn Profile
	Susanne Romani, Marketing & Web Support
Contact	+39 0276391115 susanne.romani@switzerland.com LinkedIn Profile
	Roberta Castellarin, Digital Marketing Manager
Contact	+39 0276312859 roberta.castellarin@switzerland.com LinkedIn Profile
	Francesca Rovati, Key Media Manager Northern Italy
Contact	+39 0276013203 francesca.rovati@switzerland.com LinekedIn Profile
	Valentino Donzelli, Office Manager
Contact	+39 0276311221 valentino.donzelli@switzerland.com LinkedIn Profile
	Ronja Oswald, Trainee
Contact	+39 0284540317 ronja.oswald@switzerland.com

Rome

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	Piccarda Frulli, Key Media Manager Central & Southern Italy
Contact	+39 644202498 piccarda.frulli@switzerland.com LinkedIn Profile
	Laura Zancolò, Key Account Manager	
Contact	+39 0644117280 laura.zancolo@switzerland.com LinkedIn Profile

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• ST TMS 2023 – Download here

Italy’s geo-socio-economic environment in 2026 is characterised by moderate economic growth, structural demographic challenges and relatively cautious consumer sentiment, although certain sectors continue to show resilience. After several years of subdued expansion, the Italian economy is expected to grow by around 0.7–0.8% in 2026, supported primarily by investment linked to the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) and continued expansion in the services sector. Household consumption remains relatively restrained due to lingering inflationary pressures in previous years and uncertainty in the broader European and global economic environment. At the same time, the labour market has shown improvement, with unemployment declining to around 5–6%, one of the lowest levels in the country in more than two decades. Despite these positive signals, Italy continues to face structural challenges including high public debt, low productivity growth, demographic ageing and persistent regional disparities between the more dynamic northern regions and the less developed south.  

Italy’s political environment in 2026 remains relatively stable compared with several previous years, although policy debates continue around fiscal discipline, public debt management and the implementation of structural reforms required under European Union recovery programmes. The government has maintained parliamentary support for its economic agenda and budget framework, aiming to gradually reduce the fiscal deficit while supporting investment and employment. At the same time, discussions around taxation, social spending, labour market reforms and long-term pension sustainability remain central to the national policy agenda. While political stability has improved, structural economic reforms and demographic pressures continue to shape Italy’s medium-term outlook. 

As of early 2026, Italy’s travel and tourism sector continues to perform strongly and represents one of the key drivers of economic activity. The country recorded another robust year in 2025, with approximately 185 million tourist arrivals and nearly 479 million overnight stays, reflecting sustained growth in both domestic and international tourism demand. International visitor flows have increased particularly from European and long-haul markets such as North America, reinforcing Italy’s position as one of the most attractive global travel destinations. Tourism spending and employment within the sector remain significant contributors to national GDP, supported by Italy’s strong cultural heritage, gastronomy, landscape diversity and global brand appeal. Hotels and hospitality businesses are increasingly adapting to evolving traveller preferences, including experiential tourism, luxury travel, sustainable tourism practices and demand for destinations beyond traditional major cities. 

Overall, Italy in 2026 is expected to combine moderate economic expansion with continued strength in tourism and services, even as long-standing structural issues such as public debt, demographic decline and productivity constraints remain. The resilience of the travel and hospitality sector continues to support broader economic activity, although growth prospects vary across regions and industries, with northern regions generally experiencing stronger economic momentum than other parts of the country. 

Sources: Economy&finance, Reuters, IMF 

Economic growth in Italy in 2026 is projected to remain modest, with real GDP expected to increase by around 0.7–0.8%, representing a slight improvement compared with the weak expansion recorded in 2025 but still below the country’s long-term potential. Growth is primarily supported by public and private investment linked to the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) as well as continued expansion in the services sector, while household consumption is gradually recovering as real wages improve and inflation pressures ease.  

Italy’s public finances remain under close scrutiny, although fiscal consolidation efforts are gradually improving the budget balance. The government deficit is expected to decline to approximately 2.8–3.0% of GDP in 2026, compared with around 3% in 2025, reflecting efforts to comply with European fiscal rules while maintaining investment spending and social support measures. However, public debt remains one of Italy’s key structural challenges, projected to stay very high at roughly 137–138% of GDP in 2026, making it the second-highest debt ratio in the euro area after Greece.  

Inflation is expected to remain moderate and relatively stable, with consumer price inflation forecast at around 1.3–1.7% in 2026. The easing of energy price pressures and tighter monetary conditions across the euro area have helped contain price growth, although services inflation and wage adjustments continue to exert some upward pressure on the overall price level.  

The labour market has shown notable resilience, with employment levels continuing to increase and unemployment remaining relatively low by historical standards. The unemployment rate is projected to stabilise around 5–6% in 2026, close to its lowest level in more than two decades, supported by job creation in services, tourism and construction sectors linked to public investment programmes.  

Overall, Italy’s economic environment in 2026 reflects slow but stable growth combined with gradual fiscal improvement, while structural challenges – such as high public debt, low productivity growth, demographic ageing and regional economic disparities – continue to shape the country’s long-term economic outlook. 

Sources: Economy&finance, IMF 

In 2026, the bond between Italian travelers and Switzerland remains grounded in strong cultural ties and geographic proximity, with Switzerland continuing to be perceived as an attractive destination for nature, culture, and urban experiences.

Italian travelers continue to have a clear preference for culturally rich, scenic destinations, balancing domestic travel with international options that offer high-quality experiences.

Due to the challenging start to the year, this could have a short-to mid-term impact on Switzerland’s image and, consequently, on demand as a travel destination for Italian tourists specifically. A more thorough assessment will be possible by mid-year, allowing for clearer and more reliable forecasts.

While around 50-60% of the Italians spend their vacation in their own country, 20-30% choose to travel within Europe.

In 2025, 495’151 Italians visited Switzerland with 918’407 overnights mainly divided between winter and summer season. The strong growth in December in 2025 (+22.7% arrivals) demonstrates the strong potential and interest in discovering Switzerland during weekends in a new season.

The Italian market focuses primarily on the personas Max and Kris. Find more information about the personas here.