Who knows how happy Dina Ravera is, president of Destination Italia, the first “Glocal Travel Tech” active in incoming experiential tourism. A few days ago, in an exclusive interview with EFA News, the manager announced the opening of the office in Shanghai, reiterating that "the Asian market is very important, especially the Chinese one", especially, better yet, that of the rich Chinese. So much so that, in the company's plans, there is a forecast increase in turnover in the area from the current 3 million to "about 30 million in the space of 3 4 years in China alone" (read EFA News news).

Well, to support the manager's forecasts, here are the latest ENIT data on arrivals from Asia-Pacific countries, illustrated on the occasion of the ILTM fair, International Luxury Travel Market which opened today at   The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, one of the key events in the global luxury tourism calendar. In the first five months of 2025, in fact, airport arrivals in Italy from this area for stays of at least one night grew by about 10% compared to the same period in 2024, with a peak of passengers (83,400, or +17.4%) in May.

The main reason for travel remains tourism for holidays and leisure, which represents 93.2% of arrivals (up 10.3%). Business trips make up the remaining 6.8%, with 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 geographical area), followed by South Korea with 71,288 passengers (+4.3% and an incidence 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 approximately 22 thousand arrivals and a stable share at 7.6%, Thailand stands out for the most marked increase equal to +24.6%, with 9,765 arrivals (3.4%), Indonesia has 4,947 passengers, an increase of +22.6% (1.7%) while Singapore records a slight increase of 0.8%, with 13,385 arrivals (4.6%).

Among the travel motivations, according to Enit, "experiences are the most popular": among Australian tourists, gastronomic and luxury packages are growing with a 50% increase in sales compared to 2024. Long stays (3 weeks) on the Amalfi Coast, Puglia and Sicily, as well as cities such as Rome and Milan.

Packages that combine art, wellness and shopping also show good performances, with increases between +7% and +20% and an average stay of 15 days. Among those arriving from China, Sport & Wellness increased by +20% in cities such as Milan, Turin, Cortina, Venice, Bologna, Florence, Rome and Naples; in addition to an interest in training and professional travel: the MICE and study segment grew by +12%.

From Japan, market bookings recorded an average growth of +29.2%, confirming a constant interest in Italy. The packages offered include an average stay of 8 days, with well-structured itineraries that combine culture, landscape and gastronomy, in addition to shopping, which represents a significant component, especially in Milan, Venice and Florence, where it is perceived as part of the Italian cultural and lifestyle experience.

“These results demonstrate how once again we are able to attract tourists from all over the world - declares Ivana Jelinic , CEO of Enit Spa -. Art, culture, sea but not only: the traveler seeks the experience of Made in Italy, tasting typical products, immersing himself in the shopping streets or allowing himself moments of relaxation and well-being”.