Leisure and business tourism grows in Bologna in record numbers
January 30, 2025
Today, at Palazzo Pepoli's Sala della Cultura, Fondazione Bologna Welcome presented to the press and public the 2024 tourism data for the destination Bologna - a valuable opportunity to overview the sector's growth, identify emerging trends and reflect on future challenges and opportunities.
The event was attended by leading institutional figures for the city and the region, including Roberta Frisoni, Councillor for Tourism, Commerce and Sport of the Emilia-Romagna Region, Mattia Santori, President of the Bologna-Modena Tourism Territory, Daniele Ravaglia, President of Bologna Welcome, and Patrik Romano, General Director of Bologna Welcome.
The numbers presented confirm strong growth of the destination for both leisure tourism and the MICE segment, with an increase not only over the previous year but also over the long term of the last ten years.
Bologna in growth: data and trends
In 2024, arrivals in the provincial capital reached 1,836,216 (+6.4% over 2023), while overnight stays were 4,098,212 (+13.3% over 2023). The international contribution was particularly significant, accounting for 55%. Similar trend is recorded in the entire Metropolitan Area, with 2,611,367 arrivals (+6% over 2023) and 5,807,269 presences (+10.3% over 2023). The growth is also reflected in the hotel occupancy rate, which reached 77% annually (+1% over 2023).
A notable feature is the increasing stability of tourism demand throughout the year. Even traditionally less attractive periods, such as the summer, have seen a marked increase: comparing the June-August quarter of 2024 with the same period in 2014, there is a 54 percent growth in arrivals and 74 percent growth in presences.
Business tourism and economic impact
Major milestones for business tourism as well: Bologna hosted as many as 77 MICE events in 2024, with a minimum of 200 participants each, covering fields such as medicine, science, technology, business, art, music and entertainment. The events, 61% of which were international, brought a total of as many as 49,700 participants for an average duration of 3.2 days, generating an induced revenue of about € 82,000,000.
The growth of tourism in Bologna is evidenced by a recent Sociometrica survey, covering the first five months of 2023, showing Bologna as the 11th largest municipality in Italy in terms of creation of tourism wealth, with €1,024,110,637. The figure confirms tourism as an important economic engine for the area, with important effects also in terms of employment and new entrepreneurship.
This growth is the result of the city's solid cultural, scientific, tourist and sports offer, capable of attracting both leisure travelers and business professionals. Tourist flows in line with 2024 are also expected for the current year, supported by a rich calendar of events: among the most important events are major sports moments such as the Formula 1 Grand Prix, the European Women's Basketball Championships and the Davis Cup Final Eight.
