Agritourism Italy 2024: ISTAT Data & Opportunities

Italian agritourism is one of the most dynamic and resilient sectors of the European rural economy. With an economic value exceeding 1.93 billion euros and more than 4.7 million annual guests, Italy's agrituristiche properties represent a unique convergence of agricultural tradition, gastronomy, and experiential tourism.

In March 2026, ISTAT (Istituto Nazionale di Statistica) published data for the year 2024, revealing a sector in continuous growth—especially in the South and the Islands—with concrete opportunities for Brazilians who wish to invest, entrepreneur, or simply experience authentic Italian rural life.

1. General Overview: 26,360 Agritourism Properties in 2024

Italian agritourism reached a total of 26,360 active properties in 2024, a growth of 0.9% compared to 2023 (231 new units). This number confirms a trend of continuous expansion that has been maintained since 2003, when ISTAT began the systematic survey of the sector.

The territorial distribution of these properties reveals a strong historical concentration in the central and northern regions of the country:

The highlight of 2024 is the dynamism of the Mezzogiorno, particularly the Islands, which recorded growth of 6.1%. Sicily leads with an impressive 8.9% growth, followed by Sardinia (+2.6%). In the continental South, Basilicata (+3.3%) and Campania (+2.2%) also showed significant expansion.

2. Tuscany: The Undisputed Capital of Agritourism

Tuscany remains the absolute leading region for Italian agritourism, concentrating 22.2% of all properties in the country. With 98.5% of its municipalities hosting at least one agritourism and a density of 25.5 properties per 100 km², the region is a global synonym for rural tourism.

Following is the Autonomous Province of Bolzano/Bozen (South Tyrol/Südtirol), with 13% of properties and an extraordinary density of 46.3 aziende per 100 km²—the highest in all of Italy. Together, Tuscany and Bolzano concentrate more than one-third of all agritourism properties in the country.

Other regions with relevant participation include:

• Lombardy: 6.5%
• Veneto: 6.4%
• Piedmont: 5.6%
• Umbria: 5.1%
• Lazio: 5.0%

3. What Italian Agritourisms Offer

Italian agritourism properties are authorized to offer different types of services, often combined. ISTAT data reveals the following service structure in 2024:

3.1. Accommodation

The most common service, present in 21,449 properties (81.4%) of the total. Structures with accommodation grew by 1.4% compared to 2023, with the Islands leading the growth (+6.5%). Tuscany concentrates 24.6% of the national total of properties with accommodation.

3.2. Catering (Agri-ristoranti)

More than 13,000 properties (about 50%) offer catering services—the so-called agri-ristoranti. This type of service grew by 0.5% compared to 2023, with the Islands again leading (+3.2%). Tuscany (16.7%), Lombardy (8.2%), and Veneto (7.1%) are the regions with the highest concentration.

3.3. Tasting

Properties authorized for tasting number 6,750, of which 44.7% are located in the Center. Tasting involves sampling agricultural and food products—wines, olive oils, cheeses, cured meats—without the need for elaborate preparation.

3.4. Service Combinations

The trend for 2024 is the growth of multifunctional properties:

• Accommodation + Tasting: 5,473 properties — growth of 4.3% (in the Islands, +9.8%)
• Accommodation + Catering: 9,600 properties (+1.4%)
• Tasting + Catering: 4.683 properties (+2.0%)

4. Complementary Services: Far Beyond Lodging

Italian agritourism has evolved significantly beyond the simple offer of accommodation and catering. In 2024, 13,265 properties (50.3%) offer at least one complementary service, including:

• Horseback riding: 9% growth compared to 2023
• Excursions and guided trails: +5.2%
• Nature observation: +8.9%
• Trekking: +8%
• Mountain biking: +7%
• Various courses (cooking, agriculture, enology): +5.4%
• Sports activities

4.1. Educational Farms: The Highlight of the Year

Educational farms (fattorie didattiche) represent the most dynamic complementary service: there are 2,340 properties, with impressive growth of 12.2% in 2024. Since 2010, the cumulative growth of educational farms has been 220%.

These properties offer educational experiences for adults and children, connecting visitors with agricultural life, animals, crops, and rural traditions. About 39% are managed by women—a proportion five percentage points higher than the sector average.

5. Economic Value: A Sector of Nearly 2 Billion Euros

The economic value of Italian agritourism reached 1.934 billion euros in 2024, a growth of 3.3% compared to the previous year. Over the last 10 years, the sector has grown at an average annual rate of 5.3%—a remarkable performance that outperforms several other segments of the rural economy.

The disparity between the Northeast (€ 103,000+) and the Islands (€ 23,500) reflects not only market maturity but also differences in tourist flow and investment capacity. For Brazilians considering investing in the sector, the Islands and the South represent entry opportunities with significantly lower costs and higher appreciation potential.

6. Tourist Profile: Foreign Majority and Accelerated Growth

In 2024, Italian agritourisms received more than 4.7 million guests (+4.3% compared to 2023), totaling 17.1 million overnight stays (+3.2%). The average stay is 3.6 days—3 days for Italians and 4.2 days for foreigners.

The most significant data for those planning to invest in the sector is the predominance of foreign tourists, who represent 54.8% of guests in 2024 (up from 51% in 2023). International tourists grew by 12.1% in a single year.

6.1. Geographic Concentration of Tourists

The distribution of tourists is highly concentrated:

• Center: 39.3% of guests (Tuscany leads with 28.1% of the national total)
• Northeast: 32.9% (Trentino-South Tyrol with 17%)
• 42% of guests and 52% of overnight stays are concentrated in just 382 municipalities in Tuscany and Bolzano

The receptivity index (guests per property with accommodation) is 220 at the national level, but varies significantly: Northeast (272), Northwest (243), Center (217), Islands (187), and South (121).

7. Territorial Coverage: 64% of Italian Municipalities are Agrituristic

The presence of agritourism in Italian territory is extraordinarily broad: 5,030 municipalities (63.7% of the total) host at least one agritourism property, covering 79.5% of the national surface.

The distribution by geographic profile is equally diverse:

• Hilly areas: 53% of properties (density of 11 aziende/100 km²)
• Mountainous areas: 31% (8.2 aziende/100 km²)
• Plains: 16% (5.5 aziende/100 km²)

The 10 municipalities with more than 100 properties each are true agritourism hubs:

• Bolzano: Appiano sulla Strada del Vino, Caldaro sulla Strada del Vino, Castelrotto
• Tuscany: Cortona (AR), Grosseto (GR), Manciano (GR), Montalcino (SI), Montepulciano (SI), San Gimignano (SI)
• Sicily: Noto (SR)

Together, these 10 municipalities house 1,418 properties (5.4% of the national total) in just 0.85% of the country's surface.

8. Business Dynamics: Births Outpace Closures

A healthy indicator for the sector is that the business birth rate (4.1%) consistently exceeds the closure rate (3.2%) since 2015. In 2024, highlights include:

• Sicily: new authorizations more than doubled, increasing from 55 to 120 (+118.2%)
• Puglia: growth of approximately 68% in new authorizations
• Islands: 31.1% increase in new authorizations
• Tuscany: maintains the highest absolute number of new authorizations (219)

The only regions in decline are Valle d'Aosta (-8.9%), Calabria (-2.1%), Lazio (-1.8%), and Lombardy (-1.1%).

9. Female Entrepreneurship in Agritourism

Women play a relevant role in the sector: 8,870 properties are managed by women, representing 33.6% of the total. Female participation is even more significant in educational farms (39%) and among younger managers—the average age of female managers is 53 in educational farms, compared to 56 on average.

Regionally, the Center has the highest concentration of properties managed by women (3,367), followed by the North (3,266) and Mezzogiorno (2,237).

10. Opportunities for Brazilians in Italian Agritourism

10.1. Investment and Entrepreneurship

ISTAT data points to clear opportunities for Brazilians who wish to invest in the sector:

1. South and Islands as a growth frontier: lower entry costs, accelerated growth, and less market saturation
2. Sicily as an emerging market: 8.9% growth in properties and 118.2% in new authorizations—the most dynamic market in Italy
3. Multifunctionality as a differentiator: properties that combine accommodation, tasting, catering, and experiential activities show higher profitability
4. Growing international tourism: the predominance of foreign tourists (54.8%) favors owners with multilingual skills

10.2. Working in the Agritourism Sector

For Brazilians residing in Italy or holding European citizenship, the agritourism sector offers employment opportunities in:

• Management and administration of properties
• Gastronomy and kitchen — agri-ristoranti seek qualified professionals
• Tourism and hospitality — reception, tour guide, multilingual service
• Educational activities — especially in expanding educational farms
• Artisanal production — cheeses, wines, olive oils, preserves

10.3. Roots Tourism

For descendants of Italian immigrants—a core audience for Studio Cidadania—agritourism offers a unique way to reconnect with family origins. Many agritourism properties are located in the same regions from which immigrants departed for Brazil in the 19th and 20th centuries, especially in Veneto, Trentino-South Tyrol, Tuscany, and Southern Italy.

Staying at an agritourism in these regions allows you to experience the culture, cuisine, and customs that your ancestors brought with them—an experience that complements and enriches the process of obtaining Italian citizenship.

11. Final Considerations

ISTAT data for 2024 confirms that Italian agritourism is a consolidated, growing sector with diverse opportunities. With nearly 2 billion euros in economic value, 4.7 million guests, and a clear expansion trend in the South and the Islands, the sector offers concrete prospects for both investors and professionals.

For Brazilians with family ties in Italy or in the process of obtaining Italian citizenship, agritourism represents not only an economic opportunity but also a cultural and emotional bridge to the origins of immigration.

Bibliographic References

• ISTAT — Istituto Nazionale di Statistica. Le Aziende Agrituristiche in Italia — Anno 2024. Published on March 9, 2026. Available at: www.istat.it
• Legge 20 febbraio 2006, n. 96 — Disciplina dell'agriturismo (Law of February 20, 2006, n. 96 — Regulation of agritourism). Gazzetta Ufficiale della Repubblica Italiana
• Articolo 2135 del Codice Civile Italiano — Definizione di imprenditore agricolo (Article 2135 of the Italian Civil Code — Definition of agricultural entrepreneur)