The most significant growth was observed in the Italian fast-food sector (+40.4 percent), cafes and restaurants (+37.4 percent), and tourist services (+36.6 percent). These are the findings of the Cashless Tourism Observatory.
The Observatory analyzed digital payment trends in April, specifically in the tourism and gastronomy sectors. The analysis compared April 2023, the first year without COVID-related restrictions, with the same period as the previous year. The findings indicate a substantial increase in digital payments and international card transactions.
Over a quarter (26.3%) of cashless transactions are made by international tourists, showing an increase of 32.5% from last year. Most of these transactions are from US (24.2%), UK (14.6%), and Irish (12.1%) tourists. Lithuania (+726%) and Spain (+63%) have shown the most growth in digital payments. Provinces like Venice (45.1%), Florence (44.7%), and Siena (44.4%) have the highest percentage of digital transactions from international cards. The provinces with the highest growth are Crotone (+76.5%), Isernia (+73.1%), and Frosinone (+63.7%).