2025 General State of Tourism 2nd edition
Representatives of hotels and short-term accommodations, restaurateurs, tour guides, merchants, and business associations crowded into the auditorium of San Romano on October 17, 2025, to hear research presentations and share experiences, proposals, and reflections about the tourism sector’s challenges.
Good news for all stakeholders in Lucca’s tourism sector was shared by Lucca’s Tourism Councillor, Remo Santini, and the panel of experts he assembled to discuss the topic:
- In the first eight months of 2025, the increase in tourist stays rose to 3 days in contrast to the 2.8 nights recorded in 2024.
- Visitors from abroad were on the rise during 2025 although we saw fewer Italian tourists in contrast to 2024
- A new site turismo.lucca.it just launched promotes cultural sites, but also where to stay, and how to get there, as well as destinations inside and outside the walls to experience. Turismo.lucca.it, was developed by the marketing and communications agency Coyote, and was presented by Tommaso Giomi of the agency.
- According to Santini, a great new device, LuccaCard, is additionally coming in November. It will allow the public to visit Lucca’s national museums, towers and more, at a discounted rate, with a single ticket valid for several days.
- Proposed strategies for the future were developed and announced by the Sandro Pertini Institute. Using artificial intelligence, the students give life to ancient buildings and characters from the past by permitting them to talk about themselves.
- An advertising campaign also starts this fall with two new slogans: “Lucca, where elegance is at home” and “Lucca, the authentic heart of Tuscany”. The campaign was developed by Wayout International, which worked on the project alongside the city, and Argu Secilmis, an internationally renowned figure in branding and marketing for iconic brands such as Timberland, Adidas, and Napapijri.
Alessandro Tortelli of the Florence Tourism Studies Center presented data proving that the city’s approach to attracting quality tourism is working.
- Compared to the same period (January to August) in 2024, 2025 saw arrivals grow by 7.0% (+23 thousand) and presences grow by 13.5% (+125 thousand).
- Lombardy, Lazio, and Tuscany remained the top three regions of origin for Italian tourists.
- The United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom generated 43.7% of foreign visitors.
- Requests for accommodations by foreigners increased, especially for the extra-hotel sector: +11.7% for non-hotel accommodation versus +1.4% for hotels.
- Room rates for all types of accommodations have gradually increased, and guest satisfaction has also increased from 2023 to 2024, the only decline being among hotels rated 3 stars or lower.
- Hiking experiences have increased significantly: walks, trekking, visits to historic centers and food and wine tours are sought after as visitors seek more “authentic” experiences.
To improve the livability of the historic center, Santini noted that in a few weeks, rickshaw prohibition signs will be installed to restrict their traffic, to ensure greater order and safety. As previously announced, cameras monitoring exit gates will also be operational, improving traffic management in the historic center by making checks more efficient and thorough, benefiting road safety, air quality, and urban livability.
