Italy’s tourism levels hit a record high in 2023, with foreign visitors making up the majority for the first time since the pandemic, according to new findings by national statistics bureau, ISTAT this week.

The number of registered arrivals in accommodations such as hotels increased by 13.4% year-over-year, reaching over 134 million last year, the highest figure ever recorded. 

In addition, the total number of nights spent in hotels and similar establishments rose nearly 10% to 451 million.

These figures exceed those for 2019, before the pandemic, when around 131 million holidaymakers were registered with 436 million overnight stays.

Following a period dominated by domestic tourism beginning with the pandemic in 2020, foreign stays have once again become the majority. 

Italy, a long-favoured destination for international tourists, is now aiming to regulate the number of visitors to some of its main attractions during peak times, Reuters news agency reports.

Venice, Rome, and several cities in Tuscany experience significant overcrowding during the holiday season. This has led to growing resentment among residents, who are increasingly calling for better control and restriction of visitor numbers.

Indeed, Venice is now charging a €5 entry fee for day visitors during the busiest times, and other destinations have undertaken similar measures to avoid being overwhelmed by tourists.

According to ISTAT, Lazio and Lombardy recorded the strongest year-on-year growth in tourism, as a result of a continued rise of numbers in both Rome and Milan.

The foreign presence was more pronounced in the northeast of Italy, home to cities like Venice, and less significant in the southern regions of the country.