Editing Florence (section)

=== Tourism ===
[[File:Florencja Il Porcelino RB.jpg|thumb|Tourists flock to the [[Porcellino|Fontana del Porcellino]].]]
Tourism is the most significant industry in central Florence. From April to October, tourists outnumber the local population. Tickets to the Uffizi and Accademia galleries are regularly sold out and large groups regularly fill the basilicas of [[Basilica of Santa Croce, Florence|Santa Croce]] and [[Basilica of Santa Maria Novella|Santa Maria Novella]], both of which charge for entry. Tickets for The Uffizi and Accademia can be purchased online prior to visiting.<ref>{{cite web |title=Florence, Italy: Tourist Travel Guide for Holidays in Florence, Firenze, Italy |url=http://www.visitflorence.com/ |website=www.visitflorence.com |access-date=28 September 2015}}</ref> In 2010, readers of ''[[Travel + Leisure]]'' magazine ranked the city as their third favourite tourist destination.<ref name="travelandleisure.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2010/cities |title=Travel + Leisure |publisher=Travelandleisure.com |access-date=11 June 2011}}</ref> In 2015, Condé Nast Travel readers voted Florence as the best city in Europe.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2016-07-01/best-things-to-do-in-florence-italy |title=15 Best Things to Do in Florence, Italy |website=Cntraveler.com |date=July 2016 |access-date=28 October 2017}}</ref>

Studies by Euromonitor International have concluded that cultural and history-oriented tourism is generating significantly increased spending throughout Europe.<ref>[http://www.euromonitor.com/Tourists_spend_more_than_ever_before_on_cultural_destinations Tourists spend more than ever before on cultural destinations] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100209035854/http://www.euromonitor.com/Tourists_spend_more_than_ever_before_on_cultural_destinations |date=9 February 2010 }} (for 2004–2005) at Euromonitor International</ref>

Florence is believed to have the greatest concentration of art (in proportion to its size) in the world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://florenceart.net/studyabroad/ |title=Study Abroad in Florence Italy – Florentine artisan courses for school groups |publisher=Florenceart.net |access-date=22 January 2010 |archive-date=12 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912181454/http://www.florenceart.net/studyabroad/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Thus, cultural tourism is particularly strong, with world-renowned museums such as the Uffizi selling over 1.93&nbsp;million tickets in 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.italy24.ilsole24ore.com/art/arts-and-leisure/2015-08-18/museums-by-the-numbers-184743.php?uuid=AC5dGMj |title=Florence's Uffizi leading the pack in terms of visitors' numbers, after the Colosseum and Pompeii |website=Florence's Uffizi leading the pack in terms of visitors' numbers, after the Colosseum and Pompeii |access-date=28 October 2017 |archive-date=29 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171029013500/http://www.italy24.ilsole24ore.com/art/arts-and-leisure/2015-08-18/museums-by-the-numbers-184743.php?uuid=AC5dGMj |url-status=dead }}</ref> The city's convention centre facilities were restructured during the 1990s and host exhibitions, conferences, meetings, social forums, concerts and other events.

[[File:Restaurant in the Piazza del Duomo, Florence, Italy.jpg|thumb|Tourists and restaurant on the Piazza del Duomo]]

In 2016, Florence had 20,588 hotel rooms in 570 facilities. International visitors use 75% of the rooms; some 18% of those were from the U.S.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://hvs.com/Print/In-Focus-Florence-Italy?id=7942 |title=In Focus: Florence, Italy |last1=Poinelli |first1=Ezio |last2=Trakas |first2=Themis |last3=Brivio |first3=Filippo |publisher=HVS |date=27 February 2017 |access-date=2 July 2021}}</ref> In 2014, the city had 8.5&nbsp;million overnight stays.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tourism-review.com/florence-a-record-year-for-the-tourism-industry-news4438#SFAqOL1Wp75gEeRq.99 |title=Florence: A Record Year for the Tourism Industry – .TR |first=Bill Alen |last=Bill.Alen@tourism-review.com |website=Tourism-review.com |access-date=28 October 2017}}</ref> A Euromonitor report indicates that in 2015 the city ranked as the world's 36th most visited in the world, with over 4.95&nbsp;million arrivals for the year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://go.euromonitor.com/Top-100-Cities-Destinations_Thank-You.html?aliId=115886864 |title=Euromonitor International's Top City Destinations Ranking |publisher=Euromonitor.com |date=2016 |access-date=1 July 2017}}</ref>

Tourism brings revenue to Florence, but also creates certain problems. The Ponte Vecchio, The [[Mercato Centrale (Florence)|San Lorenzo Market]] and Santa Maria Novella are plagued by pickpockets.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.yourcoffeebreak.co.uk/lifestyle/26338763698/where-in-europe-are-you-most-likely-to-be-a-victim-of-pickpocketing/ |title=Where in Europe are you Most Likely to be a Victim of Pickpocketing? |website=Yourcoffeebreak.co.uk |access-date=28 October 2017}}</ref> The province of Florence receives roughly 13&nbsp;million visitors per year<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tourism-review.com/florence-a-record-year-for-the-tourism-industry-news4438 |title=Florence: A Record Year for the Tourism Industry – .TR |first=Bill Alen |last=Bill.Alen@tourism-review.com |website=Tourism-review.com |access-date=28 October 2017}}</ref> and in peak seasons, popular locations may become overcrowded as a result.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thelocal.it/20160718/italys-holiday-hotspots-struggling-with-too-many-tourists |title=Italian hotspots struggling with 'too many tourists' |date=18 July 2016 |website=Thelocal.it |access-date=28 October 2017}}</ref> In 2015, Mayor Dario Nardella expressed concern over visitors who arrive on buses, stay only a few hours, spend little money but contribute significantly to overcrowding. "No museum visit, just a photo from the square, the bus back and then on to Venice&nbsp;... We don't want tourists like that", he said.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/06/florence-risk-tourists-buildings |title=Florence seeks a better class of tourist to share its besieged medieval treasures |first=Stephanie |last=Kirchgaessner |date=6 December 2015 |access-date=28 October 2017 |newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref>

Some tourists are less than respectful of the city's cultural heritage, according to Nardella. In June 2017, he instituted a programme of spraying church steps with water to prevent tourists from using such areas as picnic spots. While he values the benefits of tourism, he claims that there has been "an increase among those who sit down on church steps, eat their food and leave rubbish strewn on them", he explained.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/31/florence-mayor-dario-nardella-hosepipes-basilica-santa-croce |title=Florence mayor aims to keep picnicking tourists at bay with hosepipes |first=Angela |last=Giuffrida |date=31 May 2017 |access-date=28 October 2017 |newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> To boost the sale of traditional foods, the mayor had introduced legislation (enacted in 2016) that requires restaurants to use typical Tuscan products and rejected McDonald's application to open a location in the Piazza del Duomo.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/florence-church-tourists-water-wet-hose-santa-croce-basilica-picnics-eating-food-italy-a7767111.html |title=Florence is hosing down monuments to deter tourists |date=1 June 2017 |website=Independent.co.uk |access-date=28 October 2017}}</ref>

In October 2021, Florence was shortlisted for the [[European Commission]]'s 2022 European Capital of Smart Tourism award along with [[Bordeaux]], [[Copenhagen]], [[Dublin]], [[Ljubljana]], [[Palma de Mallorca]] and [[Valencia]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Winners of the European Capitals of Smart Tourism 2022 competition |url=https://smart-tourism-capital.ec.europa.eu/cities/competition-winners-2022_en |website=European Commission |access-date=7 November 2022}}</ref>