The conclave has generated an economic impact of nearly 600 million euros in Rome, according to data from Unimpresa, an association of small and medium-sized businesses in the Eternal City.
Here's the breakdown: between April 21 and May 8, there were a total of 2.4 million lodging reservations, bringing in about 144 million euros in revenue.
Add to this is the spending by tourists and pilgrims on food, transportation, and religious goods, which collectively exceeds 120 million euros.
The impact is tied to the two major papal events: Pope Francis’s funeral and the election of Pope Leo XIV—two historic moments that drew between 700,000 and 900,000 people each.
Each visitor is estimated to have spent about 120 euros per day on average—and notably, almost none of them left empty-handed.
Religious items purchased during those days, such as rosaries or sacred images, increased store revenues by 30 to 40 percent compared to the average during the Jubilee, especially in shops near the Vatican.
There were already projections anticipating a rise in profits from just the Jubilee Year. Now, following the conclave, it's expected that the figures will continue to grow—especially due to the interest that typically arises with the election of a new Pope.
