(Finance) – La tourist expenditure linked to shopping in Italy in 2024 is estimated between 20 and 22 billion eurossecond Tourism responses, Company specialized in research and consultancy in the tourism sector. The processing is based on data from Bank of Italy, Mastercard and Istat.
This estimate was presented during The eighth edition of Shopping Tourism – The Italian Forumthe reference event for shopping tourism in Italy, conceived and organized by tourism responses in collaboration with Enit and with the patronage of the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Companies and Made in Italy. Second Shopping Tourism Italian Monitor 2024presented today by Francesco di Cesare, president of responses tourism, There are 2.4 million tourists who have chosen Italy this year mainly for shopping, recording an increase of 14% compared to 2023.
The increase in the shopping tourist number in Italy is mainly linked to one Greater global propensity to travel to shop. This trend is strengthened by the resumption of Asian tourist flows, in particular from China, a key market for the sector, by the high expenditure capacity of US tourists (+9% on the values of tax free shopping compared to 2023) and by the continuous presence of British visitors, attracted above all by the main Italian shopping destinations such as Milan, Rome, Florence and Venice.
“From our research activity on the Shopping Tourism we have detected one growth in the attention that is dedicated to this phenomenon compared to the past“, he said Francesco Di Cesare, president of the tourism responses. “An attention – continued Di Cesare – which finds synthesis in some choices of the government and in the interest that Enit places towards this phenomenon, but also in the investments of national and international companies, in the presence of the topic among the topics of those who study or plan the tourist dynamics of destination and in the will of brands, boutiques, artisan shops, museums, business workshops and other realities to better equip and serve Tourist demand segment “https://www.Finance.it/detaglionews/147_2025-02-28_TLB/.” The data of the approximately 2.4 million shopping tourists who have chosen Italy in 2024-concluded Di Caesar-growing compared to the 2.1 million previously estimated, could be the result of a change of pace in deciphering this phenomenon, knowing how to interpret An active role “.
“Shopping tourism is a phenomenon that continues to grow in our country. We are convinced that this positive trend is the result of a virtuous process carried out over time. By promoting Italian excellence abroad, we managed to attract demand, thus driving the development of the sector. Italy is a symbol and model of high -end fashion, which is why they choose destinations such as Milan, Florence or Rome from abroad. The shopping streets attract high spending customers who generate benefits to all the induced tourism, making a key contribution to our sector “he said Ivana Jelinic, managing director Enit.
The new edition of the Shopping Tourism Italian Monitor shows that, In 2025, the overall surface of the outlets in Italy will reach a record of about 800,000 square meters, with an increase of 6% compared to 2024. This growth, equal to about 50,000 square meters, is attributed both to the expansion of existing structures and the opening of the new Rome Outlet Village.
In the ranking of the main outlet operators, Promos conquers the first placemanaging an area of about 170,000 square meters distributed in six outlets. This result was possible thanks to the acquisition of two new structures, Barberino Outlet and Brugnato 5 Terre Outlet Village, bringing the group’s market share to 22%.
As for the shopping streets, tourism responses researchers identified 80 associations active throughout Italy, engaged in the promotion and development of companies in the sector. On the other hand, the department store number is down, with the closure of some stores in the center-north of the country in 2025. An increasingly relevant role in shopping tourism is played by shopping centers, which according to the mapping of tourism responses amount to 1,346 throughout Italy.
Finally, the investigation identified Over 1,000 historical shops in the cities of Rome, Milan, Genoa, Bologna and Palermo, which have already adopted common classification criteria. This figure underlines the importance of artisan and traditional activities, an expression of art, culture and authenticity of Made in Italy, in the Italian tourist offer.
The investigation conducted by tourism responses on a sample of 800 Italian, French and American tourists revealed that the French identify more as Shopping Tourist (68%), followed by the Americans (58%) and by the Italians (24%). The same order is found among those who have visited Italy with the main intent to shop: French first (80%), followed by the Italians (78%) and by the US (36%).
The French are also tourists who allocate the highest percentage of their shopping travel expenditure (27%), followed by the US (26%) and by the Italians (21%). As for travel habits, the Italians prefer to travel for shopping in the company of friends (39%), while French (40%) and US (33%) mainly choose their partner. The influence of online reviews and social media on purchase decisions varies between the different groups: the Italians are less conditioned (53%) than the Americans (62%) and the French (78%). Those who choose Italy for shopping express a particular interest in food and wine experiences: 62% want to visit workshops of typical products, while 61% are attracted to the artisan ateliers. Among the French tourists, the visit to a fashion atelier is the most coveted activity (58%). Finally, the main attraction factors for shopping tourists in Italy are the quality of products (86%), competitive prices (69%) and the charm of the context in which the purchasing experience takes place (68%).
“2024 has consolidated the positioning of Italy as one of the shopping destinations preferred by tourists around the world. Our data speak clearly: The free tax expenditure of non -EU visitors in our country has increased by 13% compared to 2023. To tow this growth, US tourists, which represent 25% of the volumes, followed by the Chinese and the Arabs (both with 11%). But the novelty of the last year was the lowering of the minimum expenditure threshold to access the free tax, which brought greater attractiveness with half a million new shoppers that have purchased only between 70 and 155 euros, new nationalities and greater purchases even outside the four main cities, favoring local retail and small crafts “, he said Stefano Rizzi, Managing Director of Global Blue Italia.
“It was a pleasure to participate in Shopping Tourism – the Italian Forum, with which we share the importance of supporting the development of tourism in Italy. Thanks to the shopping observatory, made by Mastercard, we shared the trends related to shopping linked to tourist flows both internationally and nationally, highlighting the growth of international spending flows of 18% compared to the previous year. The national expenditure also grows by 23% compared to 2023 and is mainly intra -regional (31% total)while the EXTEREGONAL one is worth only 18% of the national total. These data confirm the trend of the experiential economy among Italian and foreign tourists, an element on which cities can and must aim to refine their attractiveness and potential for development in the future “, declares Saverio Mucci, Vice President Government Ingagement Italy by Mastercard.
“Always Fidenza Village, one of the 12 destinations in the world of The Bicester Collection, is promoter of the Shopping Tourism, attracting visitors who see shopping as an integral part of their journey – he says Edoardo Vittucci, Business Director of Fidenza Village. Shopping is no longer only purchase, but also discovery, personalization and involvement. In Fidenza Village, we embrace this evolution by offering not only a mix of carefully well -kept brands, but also high hospitality services and a variety of complementary experiences. From gastronomy to art, from entertainment to well -being and we assure, therefore, that guests enjoy an experiential journey that goes beyond retail and that it is to discover the surrounding area “.
The main sponsors of the 2025 edition of Shopping Tourism – The Italian Forum are Fidenza Village part of The Bicester Collection, Global Blue and Mastercard. Shopping Tourism – The Italian Forum is organized this year in collaboration with Confcommercio Imprese for Italy Milan, Lodi, Monza and Brianza and the Confcommercio system.