Italy is making inroads in the business tourism sector, climbing the world rankings according to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). Currently, it ranks third globally and second in Europe, with over 520 meetings and conferences held in the country. Only Spain, with 528 events, and the United States, in first place with 690 events, surpass Italy in terms of numbers (data provided by ENIT based on information from the ICCA).
In 2022, around 85% of meetings were held in presence, representing around 9,000 events out of a total of over 10,500. Rome and Milan respectively occupy the fourteenth and eighteenth place in the ranking of cities that host the largest number of events, with 79 and 66 meetings. In the European context, both cities have moved up one position. These data demonstrate how the travels of the future are increasingly combining leisure and work.
The blended travel formula (business + leisure) was certified by a survey conducted by ENIT using data from ForwardKeys, WTTC, Bankitalia, Deloitte and Trip.com, presented during the Imex 2023 international fair in Frankfurt. Already in 2021, a recovery has been observed in the business travel sector, with a 31% growth from 2020 levels, when global corporate travel spending was down 56% compared to 2019.
According to forecasts by Euromonitor, global spending by travelers combining work and leisure, estimated at $200 billion in 2022, is expected to more than double between 2021 and 2027, reaching about $360 billion. This positive data on the recovery of business travel builds a business, but it also has a positive impact on the environment. Furthermore, they support strategies aimed at de-seasonalizing tourist flows, bringing benefits to local economies thanks to the increase in the length of stays and spending, which favor greater knowledge of the territories, typical products and traditions, the strengths of Made in Italy
The Italian market
In Italy, after a setback due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of international business travelers has already recovered in 2021 compared to 2020, with an increase of 17.4%. In 2022, there was a growth of 23.6% compared to the previous year. Overall, around 13.4 million business tourists from abroad visited Italy, although this number is still 14.1% lower than in 2019.
The number of overnight stays was 45.6 million, with an increase of 38.8% compared to 2021 and 4.4% compared to 2019. The expenditure incurred by foreigners for business travel in Italy was over 4.3 billion euros in 2021 and reached 6.4 billion euros in 2022, an increase of 47.4%. Revenue exceeds pre-pandemic levels by 10.4%. In 2022, spending on business travel in Italy represents 14.5% of total international tourism revenues, slightly higher than the 2019 result (13.1%).
Therefore, Italy is positioning itself as a major destination for business travel, with significant growth in the combined travel sector. The adoption of sustainable policies, the possibility of extending stays and the combination of work and leisure are contributing to greater traveler satisfaction and an increase in revenue for the local economy. As the business travel sector continues to recover, global spending on combined travel is expected to further increase in the coming years, providing new opportunities for the Italian tourism and camping sector.
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