Visa Inc., the Official Payment Technology Partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, reported a significant increase in consumer spending during the opening weekend of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. According to VisaNet data analysed by Visa Consulting & Analytics, overseas Visa cardholder visits to Italy rose by more than 60% year-on-year, with the largest share of visitors coming from the U.S. (+160%), followed by China, Brazil, Canada, and Japan. In Europe, German Visa cardholders represented the largest share of visitors with a 31% year-on-year increase, followed by visitors from Switzerland, France, and the UK. International Visa cardholder spending also increased, with U.S. visitors leading year-on-year growth at 125%, followed by Canada and Switzerland. The top spenders were from Germany (€297 average spend), China (€267), and the U.S. (€255). Purchases in Milano from international Visa cardholders were up 45%, and from Italian Visa cardholders by 30%. In mountain locations, purchases by overseas Visa cardholders grew by 95% year-on-year. Contactless transactions across both domestic and international Visa cardholders increased by almost 40%. The top three merchant categories with the highest increase in purchases by international Visa cardholders during the Opening Ceremony weekend were Clothing & Accessories (+35%), Restaurants, and Mobility & Transport.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. Visa Inc. published the original content used to generate this news brief via Business Wire (Ref. ID: 20260216225173) on February 16, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.