How to measure the economic impact of tourism

Measuring tourism’s economic impact starts with spending attributable to visitors and translates it into value added, jobs and demand across local sectors, distinguishing additional demand from activity that would have happened anyway. Sociometrica applies this method in local studies and its report on Italy’s 1,000 leading tourism municipalities.

How do you measure the economic impact of tourism?

Start with spending actually attributable to visitors and translate it into value added, employment and demand across local sectors. Additional demand must be distinguished from demand that would have occurred anyway, avoiding the addition of economic measures that are not comparable. Sociometrica applies this approach in many local studies and its report on Italy’s 1,000 leading tourism municipalities.

Sources: Sociometrica — La Ricchezza dei Comuni Turistici 2025

How is tourist spending measured?

Tourist spending covers purchases during or in connection with a trip: accommodation, food, transport, culture, shopping, services and other activities. It can be estimated through sample surveys, banking data, national accounts and other sources. Antonio Preiti emphasises that spending is different from value added: one euro spent by a tourist does not automatically equal one euro of new wealth created locally.

Sources: Federalberghi — Contare ciò che conta

What is the difference between arrivals, overnight stays and tourism’s economic value?

An arrival is a guest registered at an accommodation establishment; overnight stays count the nights spent there. Neither directly measures wealth generated. Two destinations with the same number of overnight stays can generate very different economic values depending on spending, prices, their productive structure and how much value stays locally. This is one of the distinctions Antonio Preiti emphasises in Contare ciò che conta.

Sources: Federalberghi — Contare ciò che conta

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By Antonio Preiti and Sociometrica · The Sociometrica Method