Growing demand for Italy from Asia-Pacific countries
- The latest ENIT surveys indicate a 10% growth in arrivals from that geographical area. China leads the field, followed by South Korea, Japan and Australia
- Tourists seek food and wine, shopping and sports and wellness experiences
Rome, 30 June 2025. Italy continues to attract visitors from all regions of the world, as demonstrated by the latest ENIT data on arrivals from Asia-Pacific countries, showcased in the ILTM trade fair in Singapore (one of the top events in the global luxury tourism calendar).
In the first five months of 2025, airport arrivals in Italy from this area for stays of at least one night increased by around 10% compared to the same period in 2024, with a peak of passengers (83,400, or +17.4%) in May1. The main motivation for travel remains holiday and leisure tourism, which accounts for 93.2% of arrivals (up +10.3%). Business trips made up the remaining 6.8%, an increase of +4.4%.
In detail, China leads the ranking with over 94,700 arrivals (+8.3% and a share of 32.6% of the total for the geographical area), followed by South Korea with 71,288 passengers (+4.3% and a share of 24.5%), Japan records 42,365 arrivals (+14.9%, equal to 14.6% of the total), Australia marks an increase of +20.7% with 31,915 passengers (11%), India shows a growth of +10% with about 22 thousand arrivals and a stable share at 7.6%, Thailand stands out for the most marked increase of +24.6%, with 9,765 arrivals (3.4%), Indonesia counts 4,947 passengers, a number up by +22.6% (1.7%) while Singapore records a slight increase of 0.8%, with 13,385 arrivals (4.6%).
Experiences are the biggest reasons for travel: food&drink and luxury packages are growing in popularity among Australian tourists, with 50% more sales than in 2024. Long stays (3 weeks) on the Amalfi Coast, Puglia and Sicily, as well as cities such as Rome and Milan. Packages combining art, wellness and shopping also performed well, with increases between +7% and +20% and an average stay of 15 days. For visitors arriving from China, Sport & Wellness is up by +20% in cities such as Milan, Turin, Cortina, Venice, Bologna, Florence, Rome and Naples; as is the interest in educational and professional travel: the MICE and study segment is growing by +12%. Bookings from the Japanese market recorded an average growth of +29.2%, confirming a constant interest in Italy. The proposed packages include an average stay of 8 days, with well-structured itineraries combining culture, landscape and gastronomy, in addition to shopping, which is a significant component, especially in Milan, Venice and Florence, where it is perceived as part of the Italian cultural and lifestyle experience2.
"These results show how we are succeeding once again in attracting tourists from all over the world. Art, culture, the sea, but not only: travellers are seeking the Made in Italy experience, tasting typical products, splurging in our shopping areas or indulging in moments of relaxation and wellness,' says Ivana Jelinic, CEO ENIT S.p.A.
1 Source: ENIT Research Department based on ForwardKeys data
2 Source: ENIT Research Department based on data from ENIT Foreign Offices – Survey conducted among Tour Operators, May 2025