Tourism in Italy hit a record high last year and foreigners made up the majority for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, national statistic bureau ISTAT said on Tuesday. Registered arrivals in accommodation such as hotels rose a yearly 13.4% to more than 134 million in 2023, the highest ever figure. The total number of nights spent in hotels and other similar facilities increased almost 10% to 451 million.

After a period when domestic tourism predominated, starting from the pandemic in 2020, foreign stays again accounted for the majority. Italy, long a favoured destination for tourists from around the world, is seeking to regulate the number of visitors to some of its main attractions at peak times.