Number of tourist overnight stays in Florence 2010-2023, by tourist type
In 2023, the total number of tourist overnight stays in Florence, including international and domestic travelers, increased sharply over the previous year, but remained below pre-pandemic levels. Overall, travel accommodation establishments in Florence reported around 9.8 million overnight stays by inbound visitors and roughly 2.9 million overnight stays by domestic tourists in 2023.
Florence, the cradle of the Renaissance
Florence is one of the best-known cities in Italy and a popular destination for tourists from all over the world. Located in the region of Tuscany, it is the eighth-largest city in Italy in terms of population size. Since the Middle Ages, the city has been an important center of art, culture, trade, and politics, but its true heyday started in the 14th century, with the beginning of the Renaissance. It was in Florence that this innovative philosophical and art movement was born, and the city was home to some of the greatest poets and artists of the period, like Francesco Petrarca, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci.
Impact of COVID-19 on Italian tourism
Tourism is one of the most significant economic sectors in Italy, contributing to over 200 billion euros in 2019. Due to the impact of the health crisis, however, the total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP in Italy in 2022 was still three percent lower than pre-pandemic levels. Similarly, while the number of international tourist arrivals in Italy rebounded in 2022, it did not catch up yet with the figures from 2019. Overall, the highest volume of tourist arrivals came from Germany, France, and Austria in 2022.
