By analysing thousands of reviews, OTA rates and digital traces, the study finds that the Holy Year acted as a powerful magnet for pilgrims and culturally motivated travellers, while Rome managed to avoid sharp price spikes and maintain high satisfaction at its key attractions.
Vatican sites record exceptional growth and strong sentiment
While traditional landmarks such as the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and Pantheon remained Rome’s top crowd-pullers, Vatican sites saw unprecedented gains.
St Peter’s Basilica recorded a remarkable +93% increase in digital traces, while maintaining an exceptionally high Sentiment Score of 94.5/100. Much of this growth is attributed to pilgrims visiting specifically to cross the Holy Door, a rite available only during the Jubilee Year.
In parallel, the Vatican Museums posted a more moderate yet still significant +10% rise in digital traces and a Sentiment Score of 89.7/100, up 2.4 points compared with 2024.
As a result, St Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums ranked fourth and fifth among Rome’s most-reviewed attractions in the period January-October 2025. Overall, Vatican City points of interest recorded a +33% increase in reviews and a +60% surge in Popularity Index, with peaks around Easter (March–April) and the late summer period (August–September).
The report also notes a sharp drop in mentions at the end of April, following the death of Pope Francis and the temporary closure of the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica for funeral rites.
“2025 was both a powerful opportunity and a major test for Rome: higher visitor flows, increased visibility, and greater economic impact, but also the need to coordinate every detail,” says Mirko Lalli, Founder and CEO at The Data Appeal Company. “The data confirms that the Jubilee acted as a strong symbolic magnet while also accelerating innovation in how the city manages flows, expectations, and visitor experiences.”
Source markets: Catholic countries drive incremental growth
Italy remains Rome’s largest source market, accounting for 27% of all traces, followed by Spain, the United States, France and the United Kingdom. The most notable increases came from countries with strong Catholic traditions:
- Poland: +7%
- Argentina: +29.2%
- Canada: +14.4%
- Mexico: +11.6%
By contrast, Germany (–41.3%) and France (–12.2%) saw declines, which the report links to tighter economic conditions in Central Europe.
Traveller profiles also shifted. Couples and families remain the dominant segments, but solo travellers gained share and now represent 15% of total reviews (+3 percentage points year-on-year). This increase was mainly driven by domestic tourism: Italians account for 41% of solo-traveller reviews (+8 pp YoY).
Stable rates, shift to more affordable accommodation
Despite the scale of the event, the analysis of OTA data points to overall price stability rather than opportunistic pricing.
OTA rates remained broadly stable at – 3% compared with the same period in 2024, suggesting a redistribution of demand instead of speculative spikes. Hotels actually reduced their maximum rates by – 7%, while hostels and campsites increased rates by +27%, reflecting higher demand in budget and group-oriented segments.
This pattern indicates that Rome remained accessible and well managed, even during demand peaks. However, demand clearly shifted from hotels to more affordable accommodation types, matching the needs of pilgrims, groups and solo travellers looking for lower price points.
Culture over leisure: how visitors spent their time
Semantic analysis of digital traces reveals that visitors prioritised culture over dining and entertainment during the Jubilee year.
The attractions sector (museums, monuments, key sites) stands out for its strong growth in volume (+26% YoY) and an excellent Sentiment Score of 91.3/100 (+1 pp vs 2024). Museums and monuments remained central to the visitor experience, underlining the Jubilee’s role as a multiplier of cultural attention.
By contrast, digital activity declined in dining (–19%) and entertainment (–14%), reflecting an audience more inclined to invest in cultural and religious experiences than in leisure and food. Restaurants’ weakest point was price perception, with a Sentiment Score of just 54/100 for mentions related to “cost”.
Despite significant investments in mobility, infrastructure and hospitality, the report notes that some challenges persisted, particularly around costs, organisation and safety. However, staff professionalism and hospitality were key in keeping satisfaction levels high across sectors.
A blueprint for managing large-scale events
Summing up the findings, Lalli underlines the importance of data-driven management: “The Jubilee has shown that the key to a successful large-scale event lies in listening in real time, planning with data, and coordinating all stakeholders. Even with unprecedented visitor numbers, Rome maintained high satisfaction across its key sites, proving that careful management, resilience, and strategic planning can transform a major event into an exceptional experience for visitors. The message is clear: when cities combine data-informed decision-making with coordinated execution, they can deliver memorable, high-quality experiences while ensuring sustainable and balanced visitor flows.”
Beyond Rome, the report offers a roadmap for destinations hosting large-scale events – from religious celebrations to cultural festivals and sporting mega-events. For tourism boards, city authorities and travel trade partners, the Rome Jubilee case underlines how real-time data, pricing discipline and capacity management can protect visitor experience, support local businesses and strengthen a destination’s global reputation during periods of exceptional demand.
Tags: Rome Mirko Lalli, The Data Appeal Company