Italy tops European tourism in 2026 with a busy summer in sight

Italy has officially been named Europe's top summer destination for 2026, according to new data from Italy's Ministry of Tourism and Istat. The country's online travel booking rate of 51.2% now leads Spain and France, while overall tourist arrivals are up 4.43% in the first half of the year alone.

Which regions saw the strongest growth in tourist arrivals in 2026

In the first half of 2026, tourist arrivals increased significantly across Italy, rising by 4.43% compared with the same period in 2025.

Here is the ranking of the regions that recorded the biggest rises in tourist arrivals in 2026:

1. Calabria (+10.54%)

2. Umbria (+9.70%)

3. Piedmont (+9.22%)

4. Sardinia (+8.24%)

5. Puglia (+7.43%)

6. Liguria

International arrivals from abroad are up 6.45% (with outstanding performances in Calabria +23.19%, Puglia +14.63%, Abruzzo +14.04%, Molise +13.14%, Basilicata +11.55%, Sardinia +11.44%, Piedmont +10.38%), and domestic arrivals are up 1.97%, with peaks in Umbria (+13.64%) and Liguria (+8.89%).

There is particularly significant growth in non-hotel tourism(+7.46%), while hotel facilities have seen a 2.27% increase.