Southern Europe demand in H1 | "Vote count": Spain 33%, Italy 27%, Greece 8%

Italy remains the second top destination in Southern Europe in the first half of 2025, accounting for 27% of total searches for international travel in the region.

This finding results from the analysis of data from the Mabrian platform and The Data Appeal Company – Almawave Group. Utilizing Mabrian's search share index and Data Appeal's sentiment and accommodation pricing data, the study provides a comprehensive assessment of evolving traveler preferences and key destination trends.

Italy 27%, Spain 33%, Greece 8%

The analysis, therefore, examines search trends at the top 20 airports in Italy in the first half of 2025, which represent 89% of total inbound travel demand, and reveals that Italy accounts for 27% of total international travel demand in Southern Europe, followed by Spain at 33% and Greece at 8%.

Castello Sforzesco, Milan (photo: pixabay.com)

Rome and Milan top Italy destinations in H1

Rome and Milan continue to dominate Italy’s inbound travel demand, accounting for a combined 61% of all international flight searches in H1 2025. Rome alone saw a 4.4 percentage point increase year-on-year, now accounting for 33% of total demand, while demand for Milan has increased by 2.9 percentage points to 28%.

Beyond these two cities, urban cultural hubs such as Venice, Florence, and Turin are also seeing an increase in search demand, reinforcing the trend for travelers to prioritize city-based experiences in low-demand months. Venice, the third most searched Italian destination, now accounts for 6.7% of the country’s total international travel demand.

Mabrian’s report “Where is the World Traveling in 2025?” highlights Rome, Madrid, and Lisbon as the fastest-growing urban destinations in the world for the first half of 2025. Rome’s demand is expected to continue to increase, due to the 2025 Jubilee celebrations. In contrast, seasonal destinations such as Naples, Sicily, Sardinia, Bari, and Brindisi are experiencing a temporary decline in demand in the first half of 2025, but demand is expected to recover as summer approaches.

Italy’s Sentiment Score High

According to an analysis by The Data Appeal Company, Italy’s Sentiment Score, based on traveler comments and online reviews, remains exceptionally high at 87/100, ranking Italy above Spain (86) and France (85). Key city destinations such as Rome, Florence, Turin, and Venice maintain consistent scores of 87-88/100, while Milan follows closely with a score of 85.

As for accommodation prices in the first half of the year, the study finds that prices and occupancy rates in most Italian cities remain at last year’s levels in the first quarter and have been increasing steadily since April (up +6%) with a more significant increase in June (up +25%).

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