Accessible tourism: a sector worth over 5 billion euros

It is not just a question of architectural barriers, but of other services that complement them and contribute to what is known as accessibility. These are the strengths of a constantly growing sector, where accessible tourism is proving to be an increasingly significant component for the economy and competitiveness of the Italian tourism sector. And accessibility, which once represented only a small fraction of a much broader sector, now accounts for around 9 million arrivals, 38.6 million overnight stays and an estimated direct added value of 5.3 billion euros (rising to 9.8 billion when the overall economic impact is taken into account), has become a strategic driver of development, innovation and the quality of hospitality.

This is what emerges from the IsITT Report on Accessible Tourism 2026 – Data, Innovation and New Directions, presented at the TTG Travel Experience in Rimini. “The data show that accessibility is no longer a marginal issue, but a key component of the quality and competitiveness of tourism,” says Daniela Broglio, President of IsITT. “Our aim is to link evidence, innovation and people’s needs in order to understand where the sector is heading and help guide its development.”

One of the most significant findings of the Report concerns the shift in companies’ approach to accessible tourism. ‘A comparison between 2025 and 2026 highlights a shift from widespread interest to greater selectivity, accompanied, however, by increased investment from the most committed companies,’ the study emphasises. The proportion of establishments still at the evaluation stage has risen from 9.5 per cent to 21.1 per cent, whilst the proportion of businesses already active or engaged in investment programmes has fallen. At the same time, amongst accessibility-focused businesses, the percentage of those who have invested in the last three years has risen from 79.6 per cent to 84.5 per cent, whilst the percentage of those planning new investments over the next three years has risen from 67.5 per cent to 74.2 per cent.”

These figures highlight a shift in which a focus on accessibility is becoming a key factor in competitiveness and a means of improving the quality of services.

Not only that, but this picture also reveals that businesses with a stronger focus on accessibility pay greater attention to staff training, digitalisation, the organisation of services and integration with the local community. Among the report’s key messages, it is also worth highlighting the need to move beyond a conception of accessibility that is limited to the removal of architectural barriers.