Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics: hospitality boom driven by international demand

As the start of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics approaches, new data provided by The Data Appeal Company and Mabrian – companies specialized in travel and location intelligence, controlled by Almawave (Almaviva Group) – indicate a sharp increase in forecasts across the entire hospitality sector, as well as in air traffic.

Air travel takes off. With an estimated visitor count of over 1 million, international airlines have begun implementing a strategy to strengthen and expand international connections to the main airports involved, in order to accommodate long-haul routes, which have increased by approximately 20% in Milan.

Air capacity at the main airports affected by the event is up by 6%: During the monitoring period (February 4-25, year-on-year), the total flight capacity to Milan’s three airports – Malpensa, Linate, and Orio al Serio – increased by 6% overall. International routes are the main growth driver, with medium-haul flights up by 13.7% and long-haul flights up by 19.6%. Venice’s Marco Polo airport is also seeing growth (+5.6%), recording a 6% increase on international routes and a 3.9% increase on domestic routes. Venice’s airport maintains the best balance between domestic and European traffic, while Milan’s are better positioned to handle primarily international and long-haul flights.

Among the main countries of origin, the United Arab Emirates (+30.2%) stands out for the sharp increase in air traffic to Milan. This growth in air capacity signals a competitive strategy aimed at capturing new shares of demand.
In Europe, Poland (+35.8%) and Germany (+19.3%) lead the ranking of markets with growing air capacity, while France (-2.4%) and the Netherlands (-4.6%) are on the opposite end of the scale.

“Analyzing air capacity dynamics allows destinations to identify important, timely, and concrete signals on how to effectively intercept demand from the best-connected inbound markets,” commented Carlos Cendra, Director of Marketing and Communications at Mabrian. “This type of analysis is crucial not only for supporting stable, year-round tourism growth, but also for maximizing specific periods linked to major, high-impact international events with global visibility, such as the Winter Olympics.”

The figures from the hospitality sector: The study estimates the PES (Predicted Event Spending) to exceed €291 million, distributed across accommodations, dining, and transportation. Of this, 68% is expected to be absorbed by the hospitality sector and 27% by the restaurant industry.

Consistent with this growth trend, saturation levels in online travel agencies in the Olympic host cities are reaching between 40% and 55%, an increase of approximately 15% compared with February 2025. This figure highlights the extraordinary level of tourist interest surrounding the upcoming Winter Olympic Games, but it does not take into account direct booking channels used by hotels and resorts.

In terms of overnight accommodation prices, Cortina d’Ampezzo leads the ranking with an average nightly rate of €983 (+88% year-on-year), with peaks of up to €1,752. It is followed by Livigno, at €612 per night (+52%), and Tesero, which recorded the most significant percentage increase (+103%) compared with the previous monitoring period, while still remaining among the more affordable host destinations.

The peak in demand and the tendency for price increases is concentrated between February 10th and 17th 2026, coinciding with the most popular and highly anticipated competitions, particularly the alpine skiing and snowboarding events. The day with the most significant increase compared with 2025 prices is February 13th, when the average daily rate is more than double that of the previous year (+146%). Attending the opening ceremony of the Games in Milan (February 6th) carries an average nightly rate of €412 (+119% year-on-year), while the city of Verona has already recorded a 51% increase for the night preceding the closing ceremony (€186 per night), scheduled for February 22nd with the “Beauty in Action” show at Verona’s Arena.

Demand for four- and five-star accommodations is growing: Despite year-on-year rate increases of 62% and 43% respectively, and peaks of up to €2,600 per night, the most prestigious properties are seeing the highest occupancy levels (around 45% of total demand). This indicates a price-insensitive demand and a predominantly high-spending visitor profile.

A boom in short-term rentals, with prices up 171% year-on-year: This indicates a sizable segment of travelers who, despite good spending power, prefer well-located and fully equipped apartments as an alternative to traditional hotels.

“Milano Cortina 2026 will put Italian tourism in the spotlight during the most sensitive period of the year for many of these destinations,” said Mirko Lalli, CEO and Founder of Data Appeal. “The combination of sporting appeal, peak winter season, and the international scale of the event amplifies the Olympics’ impact on the entire tourism system, particularly the hospitality sector. True success will not be measured by number alone, but by the destinations’ ability to deliver a consistent, credible experience that lives up to the reputation they wish to build.”