Observatory
AI recommends Italy to people deciding where to go. Not all of Italy.
A traveller asks “where should I go to the seaside in Italy”. They get five names, not fifty links. We measure who makes those five, across a hundred territories and two thousand hotels.
- destinations
- 100
- tracked hotels
- 2,000
- sites audited
- 2,617
- answers analysedEvery month we ask the same questions five times to each assistant. The answers change, so we publish the average and how much they moved.
- 75,000
- First measurement: August 2026
Italy in one number
A 0 to 100 mark for how often an AI names this territory when someone asks where to go. A hundred means it always comes up, first. Zero means that for the AI it doesn't exist.
The average across the hundred territories we follow, and how differently the three assistants see it.
ChatGPTOpenAI-2.1 against the average
GeminiGoogle+0.7 against the average
PerplexityPerplexity+1.4 against the average
Who tells this territory's story
Where the AI takes its information from when it talks about Italy. Every citation that lands on an aggregator is one that never reaches whoever runs the territory.
- Official website24%
- Editorial portals29%
- Aggregators and OTAs36%
- Other sources11%
The five comparison categories
Twenty territories per category. Comparing only means something between comparable things: a village of eight hundred people isn't competing with Rome.
Seaside tourism
60Coasts, islands and rivieras. The most crowded part of Italian tourism, and the one where AI has the most names to choose from: getting in is harder here than anywhere else.
Mountains and natural parks
56Alps, Apennines and national parks. Two seasons instead of one, and a race dominated by a handful of very strong names the AI keeps repeating.
Food and wine tourism
52Wine and food territories. Few people search for them, but those who do have all but decided to go: a mention is worth more here than elsewhere.
UNESCO heritage tourism
60Italy's sixty World Heritage sites. The category where AI is most confident, and also the one where it gets things wrong least often.
Italy's most beautiful villages
51Small towns with few beds. This is where being named by an AI genuinely changes the month's takings: a few more people is all it takes.
Put two territories side by side
Up to four destinations compared on the same numbers.
AI Visibility Score
The ten most visible territories
ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity don't read the same sources and don't reward the same things. A single mark would hide exactly the difference worth knowing.
A bare position would promise a precision five measurements a month don't deliver. Next to it you'll find the range the territory genuinely sits in, and the band, which is the figure to rely on.
| # | Destination | Band | Category | Trend | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RomeLazio | AHighly visible | UNESCO | 78±1 | 22M | +5.4 | |
| 2 | Venice and its LagoonVeneto | AHighly visible | UNESCO | 76±1 | 13M | +3.9 | |
| 3 | Romagna RivieraEmilia-Romagna | AHighly visible | Sea | 75±1 | 8.2M | +1.4 | |
| 4 | DolomitesTrentino-Alto Adige | AHighly visible | Mountains & parks | 73±1 | 4.6M | -0.7 | |
| 5 | FlorenceToscana | AHighly visible | UNESCO | 72±1 | 11M | +0.1 | |
| 6 | NaplesCampania | BVisible | UNESCO | 68±1 | 6.8M | -6.3 | |
| 7 | SalentoPuglia | BVisible | Sea | 67±2 | 4.1M | -2.0 | |
| 8 | VersiliaToscana | BVisible | Sea | 67±2 | 2.9M | -0.2 | |
| 9 | Pompeii and HerculaneumCampania | BVisible | UNESCO | 67±1 | 4.2M | +1.8 | |
| 10 | Cortina d'AmpezzoVeneto | BVisible | Mountains & parks | 66±1 | 1.3M | +6.3 | |
| 11 | GarganoPuglia | BVisible | Sea | 65±2 | 2.6M | +5.3 | |
| 12 | Val PusteriaTrentino-Alto Adige | BVisible | Mountains & parks | 63±1 | 1.5M | +3.2 | |
| 13 | Ligurian Riviera di PonenteLiguria | BVisible | Sea | 63±2 | 3.1M | -0.3 | |
| 14 | Cinque TerreLiguria | BVisible | Sea | 63±1 | 3.8M | +1.5 | |
| 15 | SienaToscana | BVisible | UNESCO | 63±2 | 2.1M | -0.3 | |
| 16 | FranciacortaLombardia | BVisible | Food & wine | 62±2 | 700K | +3.0 | |
| 17 | Varenna and Lake ComoLombardia | BVisible | Villages | 62±2 | 1.2M | +6.0 | |
| 18 | Val di FassaTrentino-Alto Adige | BVisible | Mountains & parks | 62±2 | 1.2M | +1.1 | |
| 19 | Val di NotoSicilia | BVisible | UNESCO | 62±1 | 1.5M | -3.0 | |
| 20 | Elba IslandToscana | BVisible | Sea | 62±1 | 2.3M | -3.0 | |
| 21 | Val d'OrciaToscana | BVisible | UNESCO | 61±2 | 1.4M | -2.1 | |
| 22 | Costa SmeraldaSardegna | BVisible | Sea | 61±1 | 1.9M | -4.0 | |
| 23 | VeronaVeneto | BVisible | UNESCO | 61±1 | 3.2M | -2.0 | |
| 24 | Valley of the TemplesSicilia | CUneven presence | UNESCO | 61±2 | 1M | -6.2 | |
| 25 | CapriCampania | CUneven presence | Sea | 61±1 | 2.7M | +4.5 | |
| 26 | Taormina and the Riviera dei CiclopiSicilia | CUneven presence | Sea | 61±1 | 2.4M | -2.1 | |
| 27 | Chianti ClassicoToscana | CUneven presence | Food & wine | 61±1 | 1.6M | -1.2 | |
| 28 | Amalfi CoastCampania | CUneven presence | Sea | 60±1 | 5.2M | +5.0 | |
| 29 | CilentoCampania | CUneven presence | Sea | 60±2 | 2M | -2.0 | |
| 30 | Mount EtnaSicilia | CUneven presence | Mountains & parks | 60±2 | 1.8M | -2.3 | |
| 31 | Ischia and ProcidaCampania | CUneven presence | Sea | 59±1 | 2.2M | -2.9 | |
| 32 | Cervinia and ValtournencheValle d'Aosta | CUneven presence | Mountains & parks | 59±1 | 700K | +3.2 | |
| 33 | Parma and the Food ValleyEmilia-Romagna | CUneven presence | Food & wine | 59±2 | 1M | +3.8 | |
| 34 | San GimignanoToscana | CUneven presence | Villages | 58±1 | 1.5M | +3.7 | |
| 35 | Gulf of OroseiSardegna | CUneven presence | Sea | 58±1 | 900K | +2.8 | |
| 36 | Livigno and Alta ValtellinaLombardia | CUneven presence | Mountains & parks | 57±1 | 1.1M | +4.6 | |
| 37 | Molise CoastMolise | CUneven presence | Sea | 57±3 | 700K | +4.0 | |
| 38 | LanghePiemonte | CUneven presence | Food & wine | 57±1 | 1.2M | +1.5 | |
| 39 | Val GardenaTrentino-Alto Adige | CUneven presence | Mountains & parks | 57±1 | 1.4M | -2.1 | |
| 40 | ValpolicellaVeneto | CUneven presence | Food & wine | 57±0 | 800K | +1.3 | |
| 41 | Sibillini MountainsMarche | CUneven presence | Mountains & parks | 56±1 | 500K | -6.4 | |
| 42 | San Vito Lo Capo and the Trapani coastSicilia | CUneven presence | Sea | 56±2 | 1.4M | +5.3 | |
| 43 | Civita di BagnoregioLazio | CUneven presence | Villages | 56±3 | 900K | -6.8 | |
| 44 | Alpe di SiusiTrentino-Alto Adige | CUneven presence | Mountains & parks | 56±1 | 1M | +1.7 | |
| 45 | Mantua and SabbionetaLombardia | CUneven presence | UNESCO | 56±1 | 700K | -9.5 | |
| 46 | Conero RivieraMarche | CUneven presence | Sea | 56±0 | 1.2M | +1.9 | |
| 47 | AssisiUmbria | CUneven presence | UNESCO | 55±1 | 1.2M | -5.1 | |
| 48 | Tuscan MaremmaToscana | CUneven presence | Food & wine | 55±1 | 1.3M | -1.1 | |
| 49 | OrvietoUmbria | CUneven presence | Villages | 55±1 | 900K | -3.8 | |
| 50 | Courmayeur and Mont BlancValle d'Aosta | CUneven presence | Mountains & parks | 55±1 | 800K | +4.5 | |
| 51 | TropeaCalabria | CUneven presence | Villages | 55±1 | 800K | -3.7 | |
| 52 | MateraBasilicata | CUneven presence | UNESCO | 55±2 | 900K | -2.1 | |
| 53 | Alberobello and Valle d'ItriaPuglia | CUneven presence | UNESCO | 55±2 | 1.3M | +2.8 | |
| 54 | TivoliLazio | CUneven presence | UNESCO | 55±2 | 900K | +2.9 | |
| 55 | Etna Wine CountrySicilia | CUneven presence | Food & wine | 55±1 | 500K | +4.5 | |
| 56 | Ferrara and the Po DeltaEmilia-Romagna | CUneven presence | UNESCO | 55±2 | 800K | +7.1 | |
| 57 | Madonna di CampiglioTrentino-Alto Adige | CUneven presence | Mountains & parks | 54±1 | 900K | -0.1 | |
| 58 | MontepulcianoToscana | CUneven presence | Food & wine | 54±1 | 700K | -1.8 | |
| 59 | OstuniPuglia | CUneven presence | Villages | 54±2 | 1.1M | +3.0 | |
| 60 | Modena and Motor ValleyEmilia-Romagna | DBarely visible | Food & wine | 54±1 | 1.1M | -6.1 | |
| 61 | GradaraMarche | DBarely visible | Villages | 54±2 | 300K | -0.9 | |
| 62 | Abruzzo National ParkAbruzzo | DBarely visible | Mountains & parks | 53±2 | 700K | +0.1 | |
| 63 | Southern Sardinia coastSardegna | DBarely visible | Sea | 53±1 | 1.7M | -1.8 | |
| 64 | Stelvio National ParkTrentino-Alto Adige | DBarely visible | Mountains & parks | 53±1 | 900K | -1.6 | |
| 65 | Conegliano ValdobbiadeneVeneto | DBarely visible | Food & wine | 53±2 | 900K | -3.4 | |
| 66 | MonferratoPiemonte | DBarely visible | Food & wine | 53±2 | 600K | +0.1 | |
| 67 | EriceSicilia | DBarely visible | Villages | 53±1 | 600K | +3.8 | |
| 68 | Alta BadiaTrentino-Alto Adige | DBarely visible | Mountains & parks | 52±2 | 1.1M | -0.4 | |
| 69 | MontalcinoToscana | DBarely visible | Food & wine | 52±2 | 600K | -4.4 | |
| 70 | Cividale del FriuliFriuli-Venezia Giulia | DBarely visible | Villages | 52±2 | 300K | +4.8 | |
| 71 | South Tyrol Wine RoadTrentino-Alto Adige | DBarely visible | Food & wine | 52±2 | 800K | +5.9 | |
| 72 | RavennaEmilia-Romagna | DBarely visible | UNESCO | 52±2 | 1.1M | +4.0 | |
| 73 | Aeolian IslandsSicilia | DBarely visible | Sea | 51±2 | 1.1M | -2.5 | |
| 74 | Gran Sasso and Campo ImperatoreAbruzzo | DBarely visible | Mountains & parks | 51±3 | 800K | -1.1 | |
| 75 | UrbinoMarche | DBarely visible | UNESCO | 50±2 | 400K | -1.3 | |
| 76 | PortovenereLiguria | DBarely visible | Villages | 49±1 | 700K | -2.2 | |
| 77 | Tremiti IslandsPuglia | DBarely visible | Sea | 49±1 | 300K | +2.8 | |
| 78 | Gran Paradiso National ParkValle d'Aosta | DBarely visible | Mountains & parks | 49±1 | 600K | -7.6 | |
| 79 | AquileiaFriuli-Venezia Giulia | DBarely visible | UNESCO | 49±3 | 300K | -1.5 | |
| 80 | SterzingTrentino-Alto Adige | DBarely visible | Villages | 49±1 | 400K | +0.2 | |
| 81 | Pollino National ParkBasilicata | DBarely visible | Mountains & parks | 49±2 | 350K | -6.3 | |
| 82 | Primitivo Wine CountryPuglia | DBarely visible | Food & wine | 48±2 | 400K | +0.4 | |
| 83 | SpelloUmbria | DBarely visible | Villages | 48±1 | 300K | -3.7 | |
| 84 | CastelsardoSardegna | DBarely visible | Villages | 48±2 | 350K | +1.7 | |
| 85 | SilaCalabria | DBarely visible | Mountains & parks | 48±3 | 400K | -2.6 | |
| 86 | BosaSardegna | DBarely visible | Villages | 48±2 | 200K | +5.2 | |
| 87 | RoeroPiemonte | DBarely visible | Food & wine | 47±2 | 300K | +2.2 | |
| 88 | SperlongaLazio | DBarely visible | Villages | 47±2 | 500K | -2.4 | |
| 89 | BolgheriToscana | DBarely visible | Food & wine | 47±1 | 400K | +5.4 | |
| 90 | Montefalco and SagrantinoUmbria | ENearly absent | Food & wine | 47±2 | 300K | +6.0 | |
| 91 | ScannoAbruzzo | ENearly absent | Villages | 47±1 | 200K | -4.7 | |
| 92 | Casentino ForestsToscana | ENearly absent | Mountains & parks | 47±1 | 300K | +0.3 | |
| 93 | Castelmezzano and the Lucanian DolomitesBasilicata | ENearly absent | Villages | 46±1 | 250K | +8.6 | |
| 94 | Sacred MountainsPiemonte | ENearly absent | UNESCO | 46±1 | 350K | -4.8 | |
| 95 | PitiglianoToscana | ENearly absent | Villages | 44±2 | 300K | +3.9 | |
| 96 | Vulture and AglianicoBasilicata | ENearly absent | Food & wine | 44±2 | 200K | -3.1 | |
| 97 | IrpiniaCampania | ENearly absent | Food & wine | 43±2 | 250K | -0.7 | |
| 98 | ApricaleLiguria | ENearly absent | Villages | 43±2 | 120K | +5.4 | |
| 99 | DozzaEmilia-Romagna | ENearly absent | Villages | 43±4 | 150K | -1.8 | |
| 100 | CollioFriuli-Venezia Giulia | ENearly absent | Food & wine | 42±2 | 300K | -2.4 |
Put two territories side by side
Up to four destinations compared on the same numbers.
Destinations on the map
One hundred territories, pin size by visitor numbers, colour by category.
Map background © OpenStreetMap contributors.
The hotels
Inside every territory we follow twenty properties. It's the point where a citation stops being a number and becomes a room sold.
- tracked hotels
- 2,000
- real properties
- 1,110
- The ones that exist and that we checked: the domain responds and the page names them.
| # | Hotel | Destination | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belmond Hotel Cipriani★★★★★ | Venice and its Lagoon | 92 |
| 2 | Aman Venice★★★★★ | Venice and its Lagoon | 89 |
| 3 | The St. Regis Rome★★★★★ | Rome | 86 |
| 4 | Grand Hotel Vesuvio★★★★★ | Naples | 83 |
| 5 | Palazzo Vecchietti★★★★★ | Florence | 81 |
| 6 | The St. Regis Florence★★★★★ | Florence | 80 |
| 7 | Hotel de Russie★★★★★ | Rome | 80 |
| 8 | Experience Luxury at Galleria Hotel★★★★★ | Florence | 80 |
The closed doors
How many Italian travel websites block each reading program. Every block is a decision, almost always taken without knowing it was one.
GPTBot29%ChatGPT · training
OAI-SearchBot18%ChatGPT · search
ChatGPT-User18%ChatGPT · on-demand fetch
Google-Extended29%Gemini · training
Googlebot0%Gemini · index
PerplexityBot7%Perplexity · index
Perplexity-User17%Perplexity · on-demand fetch
Common Crawl · Common Crawl
Rising
Rising
- Castelmezzano and the Lucanian Dolomites+8.6
- Ferrara and the Po Delta+7.1
- Cortina d'Ampezzo+6.3
- Montefalco and Sagrantino+6.0
- Varenna and Lake Como+6.0
Falling
- Mantua and Sabbioneta-9.5
- Gran Paradiso National Park-7.6
- Civita di Bagnoregio-6.8
- Sibillini Mountains-6.4
- Naples-6.3
Keep exploring
Every number in this observatory can be opened, broken down and checked. From here you can go wherever you need.