ROME, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The contribution of foreign tourists to Italy's economy grew in 2018, as well as the level of spending by Italian travellers abroad, the latest data unveiled on Thursday.
Foreign visitors spend 41.7 billion euros (46.7 billion U.S. dollars) in the country last year, marking a 6.5 percent increase compared to 2017, the International Center for Studies on Tourism Economics (CISET) stated.
Italian outgoing tourists also boosted their consumption by 3.8 percent, spending overall 25.48 billion euros in 2018 against 24.6 billion in the previous year.
The net tourism balance of payment remained as such positive, growing by 10.9 percent to 16.2 billion euros in 2018.
Based on statistics by the central bank of Italy, the CISET's analysis of latest trends was unveiled at the 19th Conference on Int'l Tourism held in northeast Treviso, and discussed by sector experts and officials with the Bank of Italy and the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT).
In terms of foreign tourism spending, an upward trend was registered in all of Italy's macro-areas of destination (north, center, and south), CISET specified in a statement.
Rome confirmed to be the Italian province benefitting from the highest level of foreign tourism revenues, equal to some 7.21 billion euros in 2018 (7 percent increase).
A significant growth was also registered in the provinces of Venice (6.6 percent), Milan (5.4 percent), Naples (4.5 percent) and Florence (3.4 percent), according to data.
Tourists from both European Union (EU) countries and extra-EU countries boosted their spending, by 7.5 percent and 5.2 percent respectively.
Germany was confirmed as the country providing the highest tourism revenues in Italy in 2018, counting for 17 percent of total revenues, with an 8.2 percent annual increase.
As for Italian outbound tourists, their spending grew as well in all major markets of destination, and namely by 11.4 percent in the United States, 9.6 percent in Spain, 6.5 percent in Germany, 5.7 percent in France, and 4.3 percent in Britain.
Some common traits in the overall foreign tourism presence in the country were also outlined during the conference.
According to CISET, for example, Italy's traditional cultural tourism strengthened its leading role, drawing about 15.7 billion euros of all revenues in 2018, although showing a slower growth pace compared to the previous two years.
Seaside tourism as well confirmed a good performance, showing a 19.8 percent annual increase in foreign tourist revenues up to about 6.6 billion euros.
The offer of environmental and wine-food holidays also met with a good response by foreign visitors, with a 17 percent increase in turnover, equal to some 1.2 billion euros.
Overall, tourism confirmed to be a thriving industry, and capable to have a larger impact on Italy's overall economy. The inbound flows in fact resulted in estimated 44 billion euros of value added, including indirect effects and satellite activities, according to CISET director Mara Manente.
Moreover, foreign tourism revenues were "driving the sector and the entire economy with a significantly stronger dynamic compared to that of overall exports: that is, 6.5 percent against 3.1 percent," Manente further noted in the statement.
Within this framework, Chinese travellers to Italy also kept boosting their role in 2018, according to the latest data.
"On the extra-European (inbound tourism) front... the most significant result was observed in the economic contribution of Chinese tourists," the CISET stated.
"Thanks to a boost in both flows and average expenditure, they showed a significant 45 percent rise in holiday spending." (1 euro = 1.12 U.S. dollars)
