TOURISM: €16.2 BILLION SPENT BY FOREIGN VISITORS TELLS THE STORY OF A CHANGING ITALY

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In the first eight months of 2026, payments by foreign visitors recorded by Nexi rose 5%. But where do they spend, and above all, who benefits from this growth?

Sixteen billion two hundred million euros spent by foreign tourists in Italy in the first eight months of 2026. This is what emerges from Nexi data presented at TTG Travel Experience in Rimini, with growth of 5% compared with last year. The figure covers payments made with foreign cards in physical shops, so it is only part of total spending. Enough, however, to understand where consumption is heading and which territories are attracting the most interest.

Americans still spend more than anyone, with €2.55 billion, but Germans are now very close, at €2.42 billion. Two very different markets, in habits and spending power, which confirm how much Italian tourism still depends on a consolidated international clientele. Restaurants take almost a quarter of recorded payments, while hotels reach 20.4%. And here an aspect we often overlook emerges: those who come to Italy do not simply buy a room or a museum visit. They eat in restaurants, shop, use local businesses and contribute to the economy of the places they pass through.

There are also cities changing the geography of spending. Palermo grows by 26.9%, an increase that deserves watching also for its effects on city life. Venice, with €791 million, is closing in on Florence, which records €809 million. These figures confirm the weight of historic destinations, but also suggest how much room there may be for an Italy less frequented by the great international itineraries.

What interests me most is another aspect. We keep measuring tourist success by counting arrivals, overnight stays and money spent, while we pay less attention to what remains on the territories. How much of this wealth reaches local businesses? How much helps improve services, employment and the preservation of heritage? These are questions that should accompany every new record.

Italy has an extraordinary concentration of cultural heritage, landscapes and food traditions. We do not need to invent an attraction: we need to learn how to manage the one we have. That means taking care of connections, maintenance, hospitality professionalism and living conditions in the most visited places. Because a destination can take in significant sums and, at the same time, become ever harder to live in.

The €16.2 billion recorded by Nexi is good news. But the result that should concern us in the coming years is not only how much foreigners will spend in Italy. It is how much of that spending we manage to turn into lasting prosperity for those who live and work in Italy.