Hotels: Italy leads in Europe as upscale offering grows; Taormina tops

Hotels: Italy leads in Europe as upscale offering grows

Rome, April 18, 2026 - Federalberghi’s national assembly outlines a significant transformation of Italy’s hotel sector: greater capacity, higher quality and a stronger tilt toward the premium segment. Italy is now the leading European country in hotel capacity, with notable growth in upscale accommodation.

• Total establishments: 32,943 hotels;
• Rooms: around 1.1 million;
• Beds: around 2.3 million;
• Share of 4- and 5-star hotels: 22.5% of the total (about 745 five-star hotels currently active, pipeline to ~900 by 2029);
• Average size: beds per property rose from 37.6 (1980) to 69.3 (2024).

The shift is not only quantitative: many properties have invested in renovations, integrated services, digitalisation and green policies to meet demand for high-quality, sustainable experiences.

Taormina stands out in the South: the town currently hosts 11 five-star hotels, soon to be 13, and an overall offer exceeding 14,000 beds, placing it among the nation’s top luxury destinations.

Key challenges remain: a shortage of qualified staff and the need to strengthen professional training are top priorities, alongside wider adoption of sustainability measures to improve efficiency and competitiveness.

Federalberghi’s findings indicate that Italy is not merely expanding its hotel capacity but reshaping its hospitality model toward higher-end segments that can better compete internationally.