Millions are expected to flock to Italy this year as the Catholic Church celebrates Jubilee, a once-in-a-quarter-century tradition, and tour operators are ready to showcase the festivities.
The Catholic Jubilee, also known as the Holy Year, is celebrated every 25 years, marking a special time for spiritual renewal among believers. The theme for the 2025 Jubilee, which began on Christmas Day and will end on Epiphany on Jan. 6, 2026, is "Pilgrims of Hope." The tradition dates back to 1300 and holds deep meaning for Catholics, who often visit holy sites, many of which are in Rome.
Tour operators are offering special itineraries for the celebration, catering to both pilgrims and secular travelers, and have already cited significant interest.
ETS Tours, which specializes in faith-based travel, has been planning for Jubilee for around two years, said vice president of business development David Welch, and has already seen huge demand for Jubilee-related tours.
"In 2024, Italy pilgrimages made up just 9% of our total business. In 2025, it is almost 20% of our sales volume," he said. "We have already seen a 43% increase in the Italy registrations from 2024-2025."
ETS is offering Jubilee itineraries focused on the Vatican and Rome.
"What we find is that the interest is kind of two-sided: It's highly intellectual, but it's also extremely heart-driven," Welch said. "The people are looking for ... an 'aha!' moment."
Going beyond Rome
While the heart of Jubilee is centered in Rome, travelers are also eager to experience more of Italy or other countries, like Spain or Greece, Welch said. To meet that demand, ETS itineraries include pilgrimages through Croatia and Poland that can include a Rome add-on.
"Being able to combine the road-less-traveled spiritual locations with the Jubilee Year at the Vatican is something unique," he said. "I would say that it's probably been done before, but for us it's something that we were excited about offering this year, combining multiple sites."
Jubilee arrives amid growth in the faith-based tourism market, which is expected to increase annually through 2028, reaching $243.5 billion, up from $175 billion last year, according to the Religious Tourism Market Report 2024. That does not even include the Oberammergau Passion Play that has been held once every decade since 1634 in Germany and recounts the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The play, to be staged again in 2030, has drawn more than half a million people to the small town of Oberammergau for its performances.
Around 60 million people visit Italy each year, and Jubilee is expected to draw 32 million visitors to Rome alone, according to the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Italy. General tourism, paired with Jubilee pilgrims and the absorption of Holy Land tours that had been planned for Israel have made bookings go "off the rails" this year, Welch said.
Select Central Holidays Jubilee Year escorted tours include Rome and its famous Colosseum. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Central Holidays
Nonreligious offerings
Tours during Jubilee are offered from a nonreligious angle, as well. Central Holidays is selling trips that don't focus on the faith aspect. The company is also offering guaranteed departure dates, ensuring the trips will be held.
Maria Jose Merino, vice president of operations for Central Holidays, said that religious focus or not, visiting Rome during Jubilee makes the trip even more special.
Given the anticipated demand, Merino urged travelers to book their trips -- and book early. Jubilee events are spread throughout the year, meaning travelers won't descend upon the Eternal City all at once, which tour operators say will reduce crowding.
"Don't be afraid of the crowds," said Steve Perillo, CEO of Perillo Tours, who added that despite the hype, there is still room on Jubilee tours. "It kind of evened out in the wash with people thinking it would be too crowded and not booking. There is space."
Perillo is offering an 11-day Catholic Jubilee Tour of Italy with visits to the Pantheon, St. Peter's Basilica mass and the Holy House of Nazareth.
Suzy Schreiner, owner of Azure Blue Vacations, advised travelers to be aware of increased costs due to Jubilee demand. She said April and May through September will be busy for Italy, but airfares drop in October.
Still, "you're going to have to pack your patience," she said.