Sicily has had a successful summer season. The numbers show 3,736,864 arrivals in the first eight months, 2.2 percent more than in 2019 and 10.3 percent higher than in 2022, a 1.7 percent increase compared to 2019 and a 7.5 percent increase compared to 2022.
Elvira Amata, the Sicilian Region's Councillor for Tourism, Sports and Entertainment, is pleased with these results. She actively promoted Sicily's tourism offerings during summer. The region's new goals focus on improving seasonal diversification and attracting new visitors looking for alternative activities beyond the sea.
More and more tourists are learning to know and appreciate Sicily for all that the Italian Region represents and offers: no longer just the sea but a unique tangible and intangible heritage that enchants and amazes because it is often unexpected. And that is why today we are ready to raise the bar, to set ourselves more ambitious goals in terms of domestic and foreign arrivals, by proceeding in harmony and synergy with the representatives of Sicily.
The region plans several pipeline actions to develop the local tourism sector, supplies, and services. All this with an eye to the major events scheduled for the coming winter.
The 18th edition of the La Via Dei Tesori festival circuit is ongoing until November 6th. This festival promotes Sicily's cultural heritage and landscape by opening up more than 500 places of historical, cultural, natural, and artistic interest to the public. Besides local events celebrating individual countries' customs and traditions, many international events are also scheduled. For instance, the Art Nouveau Exhibition, which will take place at the Sant'Elia Foundation in Palermo from December 2023 to June 2024, will be promoted by the Regional Tourism Department, the Metropolitan City of Palermo, and the University of Palermo.