However, Italy remains just behind France for total worldwide tourist visits, with 420 million tourist nights, compared with 429 million for France, according to Italy's National Statistics Institute.

As of 2026, France remains the most visited country in the world by total volume of international arrivals, recently crossing the 100 million annual visitor milestone. This was heavily bolstered by the 2024 Paris Olympics and the subsequent "halo effect" on French tourism. However, Italy is often cited as the "most desirable" destination, frequently ranking first in surveys regarding where travelers want to go next. In terms of 2025-2026 data, Italy has seen a higher growth rate in "nights spent" in tourist accommodations, with an 18% surge in demand. While France wins on sheer numbers due to its central location in Europe and the massive draw of Paris, Italy often outperforms in "tourism revenue per visitor" and domestic tourism flows. Essentially, if you measure popularity by "total entries," France is the winner; if you measure it by "intent" and "cultural desirability" for the 2026 season, Italy is currently the global heavyweight. Both countries continue to dominate the European tourism landscape, far ahead of third-place contenders like Spain or Turkey.