The world’s oldest republic and Europe’s third smallest independent state, San Marino, reports it is successfully extending its tourism season with visitor numbers in October and December 2022 with 33 per cent higher than in the same months of 2021.
This year, 2023 is already looking successful and has welcomed 1,435,155 – an increase of +5.16 per cent in the period January to August 2023, compared to the same time in 2022.
While the microstate still welcomes the majority of non-Italian tourists in July and August, its tax-free shopping status and vertiginous site on top of Mount Titano in the heart of the Apennine mountain range has resulted in the state developing its soft adventure products and capitalising on its cultural offerings with its wealth of galleries, museums, gastronomy and wine scene.
Its unique retail offering with tax-free advantages not only boosts its popularity during the festive Christmas periods and attracts budget-conscious travellers but the prices for the state’s 21 hotels have remained competitive with some of the hotels reporting no price rises at all in 2023.
San Marino is a haven for short breaks with visitors staying over two nights in summer and averaging 1.78 nights across the year. The majority of overnight visitors (67 per cent) stay in hotels with those staying in non-hotel residences staying, on average, slightly longer, and in summer, non-hotel stays increase to an average of over three nights.
San Marino has an impressive heritage in automation and in 2024 is looking forward the legendary Mille Miglia visiting In May, with classic cars gathering on Piazza della Libertà; the Moto GP World Championship race at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” in September and the three-day Rallylegend event in October.
* Meet San Marino Tourism Board on stands N2-400, N3-200 and N2-210