San Marino draws tourists, but struggles to keep them. The average length of stay in accommodation facilities has fallen from 1.80 nights in 2023 to 1.76 in 2025, and even in the first eight months of 2026 the situation has remained largely unchanged.
These figures, according to USOT (Unione Sammarinese Operatori del Turismo – the San Marino Tourism Operators’ Union), point to the need to invest in new infrastructure and attractions capable of persuading visitors to stay longer and of drawing tourists during the winter months as well.
“It’s not enough to attract tourists, we need to convince them to stay,” says the association, which is calling on the Government to move from intentions to concrete projects, identifying resources, timelines and priorities.
Among the measures considered most urgent are the completion of the golf course and the construction of a heated swimming pool at the Multieventi Sport Domus.
The former could boost sports tourism, attracting visitors even outside the high season. As for the pool, USOT is proposing a facility that would not be devoted solely to competitions but could also serve as a recreational space.
The idea is for a modern outdoor pool, open roughly from Easter to the end of September, offering swimming, wellness and leisure services for tourists, San Marino residents and people from neighbouring areas alike — complemented by an annual calendar of competitions, gatherings and sporting events.
The association also echoes demands put forward by ANIS regarding the need for modern environmental infrastructure, including at least one wastewater treatment plant and a very low-impact waste treatment facility with energy recovery.
In this regard, it cites the example of CopenHill in Copenhagen, where a waste-to-energy plant also houses an artificial ski slope, running and hiking trails, and a climbing wall.
“This isn’t about copying a project designed for a very different context from ours, but about understanding the vision behind it: a piece of public infrastructure can fulfil its primary function while also generating further economic, social and tourism opportunities,” USOT notes, calling for an assessment of solutions capable of combining industrial, environmental and tourism needs.
Another issue concerns the strong seasonality of the hospitality sector.
From November to March, many businesses see a drop in activity while still facing high fixed costs — a situation that puts pressure on company budgets, makes it harder to retain staff, and limits investment.
For this reason, USOT is asking that part of the resources linked to the recent IGR tax reform be allocated to tourism infrastructure, and that, with adequate financial backing, specific support measures be introduced for businesses during the low season, particularly to safeguard employment.
The association’s outlook extends to other projects as well: conference, sports and cultural facilities, wellness centres, mobility improvements, the historic railway, a museum district, and new spaces for events and entertainment.
According to operators, these projects should be included in a medium- to long-term plan, with priority given to activities that can be carried out during the winter.
USOT points out that reducing seasonality has become a priority at the European level too, citing the example of Italy, which has earmarked 109 million euros to support the renovation of tourism businesses and promote a more balanced distribution of visitor numbers throughout the year.
Hence the call to open talks between the Government and business associations to define a multi-year investment programme, also considering possible public-private partnerships.
The goal is to identify sustainable projects with secure funding and clear timelines, and then assess their results through concrete indicators — starting with the average length of tourist stays and visitor numbers recorded between November and March. For USOT, tourism must become a stable component of San Marino’s economic development, closely tied to the country’s infrastructure choices.
