by Alessandra Cardone

ROME, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Spending by foreign tourists in Italy reached 39.1 billion euros (46.5 billion U.S. dollars) in 2017, marking a 7.7 percent increase compared to 2016, Italy's International Center for Studies on Tourism Economics (CISET) said on Thursday.

At the same time, Italian tourists traveling abroad in the same period spent 24.5 billion euros against 22.5 billions in the previous year, marking an 8.9 percent rise.

The new figures -- based on statistics provided by the Central Bank of Italy -- were analysed by sector experts at the 18th conference on international tourism held in Venice.

The 7.7-percent growth in foreign tourism spending to Italy exceeded the average 3.2 percent expenditure increase registered in the previous three-year period, a Bank of Italy official told the conference.

The CISET analysis showed positive trends in tourist revenues in all of Italy's macro-areas of destination -- north, center and south. The province with the highest inflow of foreign tourist currency was Rome with some 6.74 billion euros in 2017, representing a 20.3 percent annual increase.

The Italian capital was followed by Venice and Naples, which showed a 19.4 percent and 17.8 percent increase, respectively. On the contrary, Milan and Florence saw foreign tourism revenues drop last year by 2.4 percent and 6.3 percent respectively.

The net balance of payment in the sector remained positive, rising by 5.7 percent to 14.6 billion euros in 2017 from 13.8 billions in 2016.

Moreover, as tourism inflows generate incomes beyond the specific spending of travellers, CISET officials estimated a larger impact on the Italian economy.

"The significant annual growth in foreign tourism spending in 2017 resulted in 41.3 billion euros of value added, if we consider indirect effects and satellite activities," CISET director Mara Manente told Xinhua.

CHINESE TOURISTS

Chinese tourists to Italy were among those increasing their spending more last year, surpassed only by those from Japan and the United States, according to Manente.

"Although still limited in terms of numbers -- arrivals from China would count for about 1 percent of all foreign tourists -- the spending of Chinese travellers here is increasing consistently," the CISET chief explained.

"Last year, the average individual spending of Chinese travellers was 167 euros per day, which marks a 12 percent increase compared to their 2016 spending."

"It is a relevant sum, largely surpassing the average national spending of tourists, which we estimate in 113 euros per day," Manente added.

Considering tourism spending from the so-called BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) altogether, revenues increased by about 23 percent in 2017 on an annual basis, CISET also stated.

The highest daily spending last year was made to Japanese (254 euros).

Five regions -- Lombardy (around Milan), Lazio (Rome's region), northeast Veneto (with Venice), Tuscany (with Florence), and Campania (around Naples) -- received some 67 percent of all international tourist spending last year, and the 62 percent in terms of value added.

The country ranked sixth among the most popular destinations at global level that year, and the sector employs 2.7 million people.

Considering the overall industry, however, tourism would have generated a wealth of 70.2 billion euros in 2016, equal to 4.2 percent of GDP (gross domestic product), according to an estimate by UniCredit bank and Italian Touring Club. (1 euro=1.19 U.S. dollars)