Italy
Note on IPS
Please note, 2024 data from the International Passenger Survey is badged as ‘official statistics in development’ and estimates are subject to future change as further improvements to the methodology are introduced. The ONS are not endorsing comparisons with previous years. See the ONS website for more information.
Italy
Travellers from Italy made 34.6 million outbound visits in 2024, with a total international tourism expenditure of US$34.2 billion.
In 2024, the UK welcomed 1.9 million visits from Italy. During the travellers’ visits, their total expenditure was £1.1 billion, with an average spend of £588 per person.
Visitor characteristics
- Visitors from Italy are younger than average. In 2024, 40% of visits from Italy were made by those aged 16-34 years old compared to the market average of 33%.
- In 2024, 47% of Italian visitors were visiting the UK on holiday, while 32% were visiting friends and relatives (VFR) and 14% were on a business trip.
- 93% of visitors from Italy for business or leisure were Italian citizens. 10% of VFR visits were made by UK nationals.
- London is the leading destination for a trip to the UK, with 48% of visitor nights spent there.
- Almost half of Italian visitors to the UK live in or around Milan (30%) or Rome (17%).
- Nearly three-in-five holiday visitors are making a repeat trip to Britain (excluding British nationals, within ten years).
- 97% of departing visitors (excluding British nationals) are either ‘likely’ or ‘extremely likely’ to recommend a visit to Britain.
Explore the inbound data in full
Use our visualisations to see data from this market in greater depth and clarity. Compare annual statistics, and filter by age group, gender, trip duration and more. Includes seasonality, trip purpose and regional spread of visitors to UK destinations. This data is based on the International Passenger Survey, conducted by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
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Perceptions of Britain in the Italian market
- Italians have an upbeat opinion of the UK, ranking it overall fourth out of 50 nations in the 2024 Anholt Nation Brands Index.
- Italians ranked the UK second for culture in general, third for sport and contemporary culture, and fourth for vibrant city life/urban attractions.
- Activities that appeal to potential Italian visitors include ‘enjoying a traditional afternoon tea’, ‘taking a canal boat tour through the waterways of England’, ‘staying the night in a fairy-tale castle’, ‘visiting Windsor Castle’ and ‘going hiking on the South West coast’ (NBI, 2019).
Global context
Top-level statistics relating to tourism expenditure and popular destinations for this market. For greater detail on inbound tourism flows from this market to the UK, see our data visualisations.
| Measure | 2024 |
| International tourism expenditure (US$bn) | 34.2 |
| Global rank for international tourism expenditure | 9 |
| Number of outbound visits (m) | 34.6 |
| Most visited destination | France |
Caring for visitors
- It is fundamental to provide any brochures and materials in Italian as well as provide Italian speaking guides.
- Value for money and special deals are vital when choosing a destination and accommodation.
- Independent travellers tend to choose major and well-known chains centrally located, although bed and breakfasts are also popular. Italians prefer good-sized hotel rooms, and cleanliness is paramount
- More tailormade trips, prepared to spend more for bespoke and authentic experiences.
- Italians are conservative eaters; when travelling abroad, Italians choose to eat simple British food or Italian food. Vegetarian dishes are recommended.
The leisure and travel trade
- 28% of Italian visitors have booked a holiday (travel and accommodation combined) via a travel agency.
- Tour operators are developing new products and new ways of selling these products.
- Relationships in Italy are extremely important. Try to visit your contacts at least twice a year, and keep in regular contact with them even when you are back in Britain.
Access to Britain from Italy
The key routes and transport modes that connect this market with the UK.
| Measure | 2024 |
| Weekly aircraft departures | 974 |
| Weekly seat capacity | 174,173 |
| Airports with direct routes in Italy | 31 |
| Airports with direct routes in Britain | 18 |
- In 2024, most visitors (98%) from Italy flew to Britain (IPS).
- Airline seat capacity from Italy to Britain is highly seasonal, reflecting demand for outbound travel from Britain to Italy.
- The London proportion of seat capacity on direct flights from Italy to the UK is 76%.
- Following the COVID-19 pandemic, scheduled seat capacity from Italy to the UK has recovered to 98% of 2019 levels in 2024.
To see entry requirements for visitors to the UK from Italy click here.
To see rates for Air Passenger Duty charged on passengers flying from the UK to Italy click here.
Further resources
Where visitors from Italy to the UK reside in their own country.xlsx
How we source this information
We work with a number of data sources to provide a rich and insightful picture of our key inbound source markets. This includes, but is not limited to, data provided by Oxford Economics, the UNWTO, Apex, Anholt-Ipsos Nation Brands Index and from our own surveys and ad-hoc research. The largest share of the data come from the International Passenger Survey (IPS) by the ONS.
Visit our About the International Passenger Survey page for more information on how the data is collected and analysed.
