95% of small and medium businesses in the host regions of Italy anticipate positive impact from the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026

New data from Visa¹, reveals that 95% of small and medium businesses located in the regions in Northern Italy hosting the Milano Cortina 2026 Games expect a positive economic impact in the region, with 64% expecting concrete benefits for their business.

The research, conducted by Ipsos for Visa, shows that 95% of surveyed SMBs are aware of the event and most consider themselves moderately ready to seize the opportunity. Expectations of visitors vary by location: in Milan, 71% of the companies interviewed expect more local and national visitors, while 83% of those in mountain areas expect a greater flow of international tourists.

Stefano M. Stoppani, Country Manager of Visa Italy, commented: "As a long-standing partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, we recognise the positive impact that major sporting events have in the host regions, significantly boosting opportunities for SMB’s. Digital payments will play a major role in helping small and medium-sized businesses target a larger customer base of visitors from all over the world. Visa is committed to helping SMBs prepare for these exciting sporting events, and, in the last three years, we have supported the digitisation of more than a million of them, in line with our goal of uplifting and including everyone, everywhere."

The expectations of SMBs

Expectations and forecasts are positive, with 64% of SMBs expecting a positive impact on their business, especially in terms of turnover (34%). Regarding the local economy and tourism, 95% of the SMBs surveyed expect a positive impact: among these, 88% believe that the economy of the hosting regions will benefit the most; 86% see the influx of tourists and visitors as the main advantage.

Additionally, 84% believe that the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will bring new infrastructure, redevelopment of urban and peripheral areas and improvements to mobility of the citites and towns involved.

"For Milano Cortina 2026, for example, we are already working with our partners to introduce contactless payments on all the main public transport services in the Games areas, making it easier for local and international visitors to move around. Milan, Venice and Verona are already enabled, and we are expanding the service to the other areas involved, and this payment infrastructure will remain, of course, after the Games," continued Stoppani.

Investment and digitalisation: The importance of the ecosystem

For the interviewed companies, Milano Cortina 2026 can represent an occasion to invest to improve their business. Almost 50% have already invested or are planning to invest in refurbishment, marketing, personnel and digitisation, with accomodation and catering sectors being the most active segments.

40% of the surveyed SMBs have already defined a budget which on average is a remarkable 14% of their turnover.

This major event represents also an opportunity for greater digitisation of businesses. Among the ones that have already invested or intends to do so, 53% will focus on payments infrastructures.

The role of digital payments

For more than 90% of businesses, digital payments will be the preferred method for domestic and international visitors, especially for food services according to 98% of them, local transport for 97%, and shopping in general for 99%.

One in five companies that say they are prepared for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, already offer centralized billing systems, or advanced digital services such as online booking and payment. From this perspective, digital payments are an area with great growth potential, with 47% of small and medium-sized businesses surveyed requiring assistance in understanding how best to invest in these solutions.

A look beyond Milano Cortina 2026: Long-term expectations

Milano Cortina 2026 is not only a world-class sporting event, but also a great opportunity for potential lasting benefits. The companies interviewed, in fact, foresee a positive legacy that will extend beyond the conclusion of the Winter Games, with a particularly optimistic view in the mountain areas and other regions directly involved.

51% of the SMBs interviewed expect long term benefits from the Games and are divided into different areas: on an economic level, 47% of companies expect an increase in turnover or margins, 39% expect improvements linked to the city or town.