News Tourism

Rome set for tourism boom over Christmas and New Year

By: Wanted in Rome

Date:

12 Dec, 2023

Hotels in Rome expect tourism surge over festive season.

Rome hotels are expecting to see a 30 per cent increase in arrivals this Christmas, compared to last year, with bookings for New Year in Rome set to be up 20 per cent.

The surge was forecast by the Bilateral Tourism Board of Lazio at the annual Christmas meeting of the Rome branch of hotel association Federalberghi, news agency ANSA reports.

Federalberghi Roma president Giuseppe Roscioli welcomed the positive outlook as well as the city's overall tourism performance in 2023 but also noted some negative issues affecting the sector.

Christmas in Rome: a quick guide

Roscioli credited the city's tourism department for hosting "a succession of attractive events", as well as highlighting the opening of "new and prestigious hotels" that are helping to raise the overall level of tourism in Rome.

The Vatican lights up its Christmas tree in St Peter’s Square tonight. Magical. pic.twitter.com/SQxezOBYWi— Wanted in Rome (@wantedinrome) December 9, 2023

On the downside, Roscioli highlighted the capital's "bad defeat" in failing to win Expo 2030 which, had it been successful, "would have contributed to changing the very face of Rome" as well as creating a tourism boom.

Roscioli also cited the city's recent "unexpected inrease" in tourist tax, claiming it has "penalised our newfound competitive capacity on an international level".

Photo Roma Capitale