Short term Economic Note 40/2025 by E. Conti, M. Donati, T. Ferraresi, S. Iommi, D. Marinari
The data for the third quarter of 2025 paint a picture of a regional economy that is slowing down and becoming more unequal, while still showing many positive signs.
Employment continues to grow, but at a slower pace: the number of employees is still rising (+1.6%), but less than in 2024, with a positive contribution from permanent contracts and a marked weakness in Italian manufacturing, especially in the fashion sector. As a result, regional disparities are widening: areas specializing in shipbuilding, mechanics, and pharmaceuticals are holding their own, while regions with a high concentration of textile and clothing production are experiencing greater difficulties.
Regional exports are growing exceptionally well (+25.5%), thanks, however, to the contribution of a few leading sectors, almost exclusively pharmaceuticals, which are also contributing to highly polarized provincial dynamics.
After recovering from the pandemic in 2024, tourism enters a slowdown phase in 2025, penalized by a decline in domestic and European demand. Art cities, Tuscany’s flagship product, are holding up better, and mountain destinations are growing, driven by the growth of experiential tourism, while coastal areas are more fragile, heavily exposed to competition from seaside destinations in countries with a low cost of living.
