With annual demand exceeding €3.4 billion, the United States remains the world’s largest importer of Italian marble and the go-to market for Italy’s stone industry.
This 2023 data, from Nomisma’s research for Marmomac, was presented by Emanuele di Faustinio at the opening of the 58th international natural stone trade fair in Verona.
Italy’s natural stone industry, the world’s second largest exporter and the only top-3 supplier across all sectors (raw and processed stones, machinery, and technology), has seen a 56% growth in US exports over the past decade.
Surpassing Brazil and China, Italy now holds an 18% market share in 2023.
According to Nomisma, demand for Italian stone products has increased in 37 of the 50 US states over the past decade. The US hotel industry is expected to grow from 59,600 to around 62,000 properties by 2026 (Lodging Econometrics), further driving demand for natural stone.
In the first half of 2024, 250 new hotels were registered, with over 60% in the high-end and upper-mid-range segments, and over 6,000 projects are currently underway.
Source: ANSA