South Tyrol is booming: Discover records and hidden insider tips!

South Tyrol is booming: Discover records and hidden insider tips!

Neumarkt, Italien - South Tyrol is becoming increasingly popular as a holiday region and has developed into one of the top destinations in Italy. With picturesque mountain landscapes, delicious wine growing areas and traditional meals such as dumplings and Kaiserschmarrn, the region is attracting more and more visitors. According to the State Institute for Statistics (ASTAT), the number of guests in South Tyrol rose from around 330,000 in 1950 to over 8.7 million in 2024, which corresponds to an impressive increase of around 2,500 percent. The number of overnight stays also experienced a significant increase from 1.82 million in 1950 to more than 37 million in 2024, which corresponds to an increase of 1,930 percent. This shows how strongly the tourist interest in the region has grown, especially in recent decades.

An analysis of the number of overnight stays since 2003 shows that the number of arrival increases faster than the overnight stays, which indicates shorter stays. Merano used to be the most popular holiday destination in the region, which recorded around 350,000 overnight stays in 1950 and made 20% of all overnight stays in South Tyrol. But these times are over: Merano was overtaken by Wolkenstein in Val Gardena in the 1990s, followed by Kastelruth, who has taken the lead since the 2000s and reached a record of 1.78 million overnight stays in 2024.

Current records in tourism

The tourism year 2022/23 set new standards, with over 8.4 million guests who have booked at least one night in South Tyrol. In total, the number of overnight stays was raised to over 36 million, which is another record. Currently, 11,747 accommodation companies offer 241,624 beds, with 64% of the beds in hospitality and 36% can be found in non -hospitals. The overnight stays from home (10.6 million) and from Germany (17.4 million) have increased significantly.

particularly highlighted is Kastelruth, which offers the largest selection with a bed offer of 9,487. In addition, the quality index for South Tyrol shows a positive trend with a value of 4.3. The main part of the guests still comes from Germany, with 48.3% of the total overnight stays. There is also strong growth internationally, especially among guests from Asia, the USA, Italy, Slovenia and other countries.

challenges and price dynamics

In addition to the gratifying figures, there were also challenges last year, such as a price explosion at the toilet paper, which caused displeasure among the residents. This suggests that not only the tourism industry, but also the local population has to fight with economic pressure situations. While Neumarkt recorded a decline in accommodation by 52.2 percent between 1990 and 2024, it remains to be seen how the industry will develop in the coming years.

Overall, it can be said that South Tyrol is one of the fastest growing tourist destinations in Italy, which scores both with its unique nature experiences and a diverse culinary delight. The record numbers in the overnight stays show that the region is still very attractive despite the challenges.

Further information on the developments in tourism in South Tyrol can be found at Derwesten.de and suedtirolnews.it .