According to travel experts Vatican Tickets & Tours, global searches for ‘flights to Vatican’ have increased by 276% in the last 30 days.
The findings were gathered from Google Trends, which also provides insight into why demand is increasing, as ‘Pope Francis’ and ‘Vatican news’ are among the related queries that have seen a rise in interest through February.
Pope Francis is currently hospitalised with pneumonia and speculation is rife as to who will be the next Pope if he has to step down.
The method used to select the next Pope is known as the ‘Papal Conclave’, which starts with a morning mass held in Saint Peter’s Basilica. Then, 120 voting-age Cardinals gather in the Sistine Chapel until a new Pope is chosen.
Despite the Sistine Chapel being completely sealed off from the public on the day of voting, so tourists are not permitted to visit in the event of a Conclave, many are still keen to visit Vatican City in the interim.
While the Pope’s health situation is likely the main driver of the increase in searches, the success of 2024 fictional film Conclave could also have prompted interest.
The film, starring Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci, sees the College of Cardinals gather to choose the new Pope, before being exposed to various secrets and scandals that surround the candidates.
Conclave has received multiple Oscar nominations ahead of the 97th Academy Awards on March 3, including Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role. It also won the Best Film BAFTA at the awards earlier this month.
Speaking on the increase, Magdalena Petrusic, Travel Expert from Vatican Tours & Tickets, said: “With the Pope being a key topic in the news at the moment, it’s no surprise that many of us have been reminded about the cultural and historical impact of Vatican City, and are eager to experience it for ourselves.
“For many, visiting Vatican City is a spiritual experience, whereas others may visit to appreciate the incredible architecture and artwork in the Sistine Chapel. With all eyes on the city-state, it’ll be interesting to see how flight demand changes if a Papal Conclave is confirmed.”