Mafias gobble up Italy’s tourism industry: ‘A tasty dish for crime bosses.’
The Tree of All, a work by artist Gregor Prugger in memory of the fight against the Italian mafia and its victims. Taranto, Puglia, Italy 26.06.2024
Credit: Shutterstock, Massimo Todaro
Hotels and restaurants served on a plate to organised crime.
Italy’s tourism sector has become a buffet for the mafia, pocketing a whopping €3.3 billion a year from struggling businesses in hospitality. And with the 2025 Jubilee in Rome and the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on the menu, the mob is preparing to dig in for even bigger profits.
Criminals cash in on crisis
From picturesque hotels to bustling pizzerias, organised crime syndicates are cashing in on Italy’s hospitality sector. According to a shocking report by the Demoskopika institute, the infamous ‘Ndrangheta mafia, rooted in Calabria, is the worst offender, taking half of the illegal earnings. Not far behind are the Camorra from Naples, Sicily’s Cosa Nostra, and fragmented crime groups from Puglia, all raking in millions a year.
What’s more alarming? These mafias aren’t just sticking to their southern strongholds. The report reveals they’ve infiltrated Italy’s wealthier north, feasting on nearly €1.5 billion from businesses that once seemed untouchable.
“Tasty prey” for the mob
Over 7,000 businesses – about 15% of the entire tourism sector – are teetering on the edge, struggling with crippling debts and cash flow crises. Demoskopika president Raffaele Rio described these companies as “tasty prey” for criminal gangs offering “help.”
But there’s nothing generous about their offers. The mafias lend money at eye-watering rates, sinking their claws into businesses and often taking them over entirely.
“They promise financial survival, pay off debts, and guarantee liquidity,” said Rio. “But the price is devastating – control, or outright ownership, of these companies.”
This isn’t just bad news for the owners. The mob’s grip is suffocating the legal economy, fuelling money laundering, extortion, and usury that leaves legitimate businesses gasping for air.
From Italy to Europe
It’s not just an Italian problem. Europol has warned that the ‘Ndrangheta mafia is investing dirty money across Europe, funnelling drug and arms trafficking profits into hotels, supermarkets, and real estate. What better way to hide in plain sight?
The Mafia’s iron grip
The mafia’s stranglehold isn’t limited to businesses. In a bizarre twist, a Catholic nun was recently arrested for allegedly carrying mafia messages to prisoners. And earlier this year, the Italian government expanded a controversial programme to remove children from mafia families, aiming to break the cycle of criminal behaviour passed down like a family heirloom.
With the Jubilee and Winter Olympics on the horizon, the mob’s appetite for cash is only set to grow. Rio called their tactics “a perverse system that crushes entrepreneurs, strengthens the mafia’s power, and suffocates the economy.”
What’s next for Italy?
Italy’s tourism industry is at a crossroads. Can it shake off the mafia’s chokehold before major global events make things worse? Or will the country’s hotels and restaurants remain a cash cow for organised crime?
One thing’s for sure – the fight against the mob is far from over if Italy wants to reclaim its tourism crown.
Find more news in English from around Italy.
Read more news in English from around Europe.
