L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2026 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano 2 E nthusiasm tends to spread quick- ly, and there is usually at least one snow or ice discipline people can enjoy e v e n w i t h o u t k n o w i n g t h e r u l e s o r s c o r i n g . W h a t i s c l e a r , h o w e v e r , i s t h a t t h e Milan-Cortina Olympics are producing a very predictable result beyond athletic compe- t i t i o n : t h e y a r e d r i v i n g tourism. The hospitality sector provides the clearest evi- dence, with record-level performance. Several surveys indi- cate that revenue already confirmed for the Olympic and Paralympic period (February-March 2026) is more than 30% higher across Italy; in many of the areas most directly involved, bookings have already surpassed 2025 levels. Milan leads the trend, having exceeded last year's results well ahead of schedule, evidence of an unusually strong demand. The Winter Games are about more than sport – they're fueling tourism From the Editor These figures refer only to hotels and therefore exclude the private market of B&Bs and short-term rentals. Official indicators measure both the average price of rooms sold and the revenue generated per available room, combining higher rates with higher occupancy. In the first days of competition, the city had already reached 80% of the rooms historically booked across the entire February- March period. When the greater Milan area is included, the metropolitan region shows similarly strong results. Even more significant is that the appeal – perhaps unsurprising- ly – extended to many areas not directly hosting the Games. Many visitors who arrived to attend competitions and medal ceremonies took the opportunity to see more of Italy. If you were in the city for hockey or skating, visiting the Duomo and Leonardo's Last Supper required only a short detour. A slalom race in Cortina offered a reason to plan a full ski holiday in the Dolomites, while those who crossed the ocean to go to Livigno or Bormio and watch downhill or giant slalom events found numerous other des- tinations easily within reach. The positive trend does not involve Milan alone. Other destinations across the Olympic regions are also recording significant increases in bookings compared with the same period last year. In Lombardy, locations beyond the host city show on average 27% more rooms reserved, with peaks in Valtellina. Veneto shows similar growth, especially in the final weeks of the Games: the Verona area reports +22%, Padua and Treviso +24%, and Venice and Mestre +36%. The Olympics, in effect, are promoting major Italian cities, regional destinations, and areas surrounding the venues, with benefits spreading throughout the hospitality sector, and often to the rest of the country. Once visitors land in Milan for the Games, it is easy for travelers from C a n a d a o r t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s t o c o n t i n u e t o R o m e o r Naples. A comparable pattern emerged during the Jubilee, when many pilgrims, after visiting Rome, chose to explore Sicily, Veneto or other regions, too. The Olympic effect, therefore, works as a catalyst not only during the event but throughout the 2026 season. The first impacts are already visible, and many visitors are like- ly to return. If the experience is positive, people come back. The real value of the Games will emerge over time, affect- ing not only hotels but the broader economy through new travel flows, strengthened destination reputations, and widespread benefits across the tourism sector. Some estimates place the overall economic impact at more than $5.8 billion (€5.3 billion), including infrastruc- ture investments (around $3.3. billion/€3 billion), direct tourism spending (over $1.2 billion/€1.1 billion), and a fur- ther $1.3 billion (€1.2 billion) in deferred tourism expendi- ture over the following 12-18 months. As Chloe Parkins, chief economist at Oxford Economics, told Euronews, Italy is on track to welcome 66 million international tourists in 2026, with tourism spending alone expected to rise by $3.2 billion (€2.9 billion) this year. In other words, these Olympics will not set records only on the slopes. Simone Schiavinato, Editor Simone Schiavinato NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS P.O.BOX 6528, ALTADENA, CA 91003 Member of FUSIE (Federazione Unitaria Stampa Italianaall'Estero), COGITO L'Italo-Americano Please send correspondence to P.O. 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PUBLISHER Robert Barbera Grande Ufficiale EDITOR IN CHIEF Simone Schiavinato ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER Patrick Abbate EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Barbara Minafra COPY EDITOR Francesca Bezzone LOS ANGELES CONTRIBUTOR Silvia Nittoli SAN FRANCISCO CONTRIBUTOR Serena Perfetto SEATTLE CONTRIBUTOR Rita Cipalla CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mariella Radaelli, Matt Walker, Francesca Bezzone, Luca Ferrari, Stefano Carnevali, Paula Reynolds, Teresa Di Fresco Nicoletta Curradi, Generoso D'Agnese, Jessica S. Levy, Fabrizio Del Bimbo, Maria Gloria, Chuck Pecoraro, Anthony Di Renzo Serena Perfetto, Kenneth Scambray, Chiara D'Alessio, Luca Signorini, Giulia Franceschini © 2025 L'Italo-Americano Membership: One year $59 - Single copy $2.25 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to L'Italo Americano P.O. Box 40156 Pasadena CA 91114

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