A new report by The Data Appeal Company, the leading tourism intelligence firm part of the Almawave Group, by analysing thousands of reviews, OTA rates, and digital traces, reveals how the Holy Year reshaped tourism, visitor experience, and the global perception of Rome.

The Jubilee ultimately redirected visitor flows, spread spending across flexible accommodation types, and enhanced the perception of Christianity’s symbolic sites.

Although traditionally popular attractions such as the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, and Pantheon remained on the podium, Vatican landmarks saw unprecedented growth. St Peter’s Basilica experienced a remarkable +93% increase in digital traces, while maintaining an exceptionally high Sentiment Score of 94.5/100. Much of this growth was likely fuelled by Jubilee pilgrims coming specifically to cross the Holy Door, a key rite available only during the Holy Year. In parallel, the Vatican Museums recorded a more moderate yet significant rise with +10% in digital traces and a Sentiment Score of 89.7/100, up 2.4 points from 2024.

As a matter of fact, St Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums have ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, among the city’s five most-reviewed attractions for the period January-October 2025.

Vatican City points of interest (POIs) recorded a +33% increase in reviews and a +60% surge in Popularity Index, with peaks between March–April, coinciding with Easter period, and the summer period August–September.

However, this upward trend in mentions shows a sharp drop 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.”
Regarding the origin of Rome reviews in 2025, Italy remains the largest source market (27% of all traces), followed by Spain, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom. The most notable increases, however, came from countries with strong Catholic traditions such as Poland (+7%), Argentina (+29.2%), Canada (+14.4%), and Mexico (+11.6%), while Germany (–41.3%) and France (–12.2%) declined, likely due to tighter economic conditions in Central Europe.

Traveller profiles shifted as well. Couples and families still dominate, but solo travellers stood out — now representing 15% of the total (+3 pp YoY). This increase was mainly driven by domestic tourism: Italians account for 41% of solo-traveller reviews (+8 pp YoY).
Pricing remained stable with a shift to more affordable accommodation types.

Analysis of OTA data shows a surprisingly balanced picture. OTA rates remained stable overall (–3%) compared with the same period 2024, showing a redistribution of demand rather than speculative price spikes. In particular, hotels reduced their maximum rates (–7%), while hostels and campsites grew sharply (+27%) This stability indicates that Rome remained accessible and well-managed even during demand peaks, avoiding speculative dynamics.

However, demand clearly shifted from hotels to more affordable accommodation types, reflecting the needs of pilgrims, groups, and solo travellers.

The semantic analysis of digital traces also sheds light on what worked in visitors’ experiences in Rome and Vatican City during the Jubilee year. The attractions sector stands out for its strong growth in volume (+26% YoY) and for an excellent Sentiment Score (91.3/100, +1 pp vs 2024). Museums and monuments remain at the heart of the visitor experience, confirming the Jubilee’s role as a multiplier of cultural attention. By contrast, digital activity declined in dining (–19%) and entertainment (–14%). A consistent trend with an audience more inclined to invest in culture rather than leisure and food. The weakest point for restaurants was price perception, with a Sentiment Score of 54/100 for mentions related to “cost.”

Despite major investments in mobility, infrastructure, and hospitality, some issues persisted — mainly costs, organisation, and safety. However, staff professionalism and hospitality played a key role in maintaining consistently high satisfaction across sectors.

“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.” concludes, Lalli.

Beyond the numbers, the report offers a roadmap for any destination facing large-scale events, from religious celebrations to cultural festivals and sporting mega-events, highlighting what worked in Rome and what other cities can replicate.

The full analysis, charts, and sector-by-sector breakdown are available in the complete report: https://datappeal.io/free-report-jubilee-2025/