World Tourism Day

San Marino: Transformative tourism, concrete results, international visibility, and social responsibility on World Tourism Day.

On the occasion of World Tourism Day 2025, dedicated by the United Nations to the theme "Tourism and Sustainable Transformation," the Republic of San Marino takes this opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to a tourism development model that is attentive to people and the environment. It emphasizes its ongoing commitment, dialogue with all stakeholders, and efforts to achieve the strategic objectives outlined at the beginning of its mandate, while also highlighting the results achieved and the prospects opening up internationally. 

Data released by the Statistics Office and presented at the annual meeting with the International Monetary Fund confirms a positive trend in tourism in the Republic of San Marino: 1,501,107 visitors were recorded in the January-August period, a 1.73% increase compared to the same period last year. It is therefore possible to predict that, once again, the annual number of tourists will exceed the 2 million mark. This increase demonstrates a growing vitality and confirms that the Republic of San Marino, its Historic Center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its nine Castles, continue to represent an attractive destination capable of combining historical heritage and innovative offerings. 

These results are achieved through the promotion of the Republic of San Marino abroad, at trade fairs and major events in which we participate thanks to the support of the Tourism Office and the collaboration of international organizations. This year, San Marino's international positioning is strengthened by our participation in Expo Osaka 2025, a venue dedicated to showcasing the country's cultural, artistic, and tourism excellence. This event offers a valuable opportunity for global promotion and dialogue, in line with the goal of consolidating a network of cultural and economic relationships and exchanges capable of supporting the sector's growth in the coming years.

The data confirms the tourist appeal of numerous events, which, on the one hand, ensure the incoming of those specifically interested in the events and, on the other, contribute to promotion. The San Marino Song Contest project and the resulting participation in Eurovision are exemplary of this reasoning.

The balance sheet that San Marino presents on World Tourism Day 2025 is therefore that of a Republic capable of strengthening its identity and projecting itself with renewed momentum onto high-profile international stages, in the knowledge that tourism represents a tool for cohesion, openness, and sustainability. Among the challenges are translating visibility into lasting value for the community, promoting accessibility policies, fostering sustainable innovation, and above all, ensuring the country has new tourism, mobility, and hospitality infrastructure.

The Ministry of Tourism continues to establish San Marino as a hub for the development of accessibility and sustainability practices related to tourism. To this end, in October, we will present the "San Marino Action Agenda on Tourism for All" and its accompanying compendium to an international and authoritative audience in the United Arab Emirates. These were drafted at the conclusion of the Conference we hosted in 2023 and have become universally recognized documents on these issues.

The tourism we hope for is therefore a transformative one, not just numbers to show off. On this Day, we reaffirm our determination to continue along this path, positioning ourselves as a laboratory of ideas and projects, demonstrating that it is possible to combine tourism growth with respect for the local area, quality of services, and inclusion.

Federico Pedini Amati, Secretary of State for Tourism, Postal Services, Cooperation, Expo, Information, and Tourism Investment Attraction