There was a time when Italians traveled in a repetitive, almost automatic way. Seaside, mountains, European capitals. A sequence of classic, reassuring, predictable destinations. Then came the pandemic, and with it, a long pause. But that pause was not merely a suspension: it was also a transformation. Today, in 2025, Italians are traveling again, but not in the same way. They travel more often, with greater awareness and different desires. Above all, they choose where to go with a renewed sensitivity, combining a need for beauty with one for balance, a desire for discovery with a need for security.
The Italian tourism market has evolved rapidly.
The recovery, which began in 2022, found its consolidation during 2024–2025. According to UNWTO data, international tourism has practically returned to pre-2024 levels, with 1.4 billion global arrivals, an 11% increase from the previous year. In Europe—the core of Italian departures—there was a 5% increase over 2023 and a 1% increase compared to 2019. The desire to travel has not only returned; it has become stronger, more conscious, more structured.
In this global context, Italy remains one of the main outbound markets on the continent. Italians are traveling, and with an intensity that even surprises industry professionals. Air bookings analyzed by ForwardKeys confirm a massive return to European capitals, but also a gradual exploration of unconventional destinations, new routes, and distant lands. The way travel is perceived has changed, and so has the way it must be narrated.
Understanding where Italians go is not just a statistical exercise: it’s a strategic act. Because behind every destination choice lies a motivation, a desire, a personal narrative that can be intercepted, accompanied, and enhanced. And to do that, a deep analysis of travel behavior is required—one that goes beyond the surface of numbers and delves into the heart of emotions, choices, and ongoing cultural shifts.
The Travel Behavior of Italians in 2025
Those who travel today don’t do it just to see new places. They travel to feel part of something. To feel better. To rediscover themselves. This is the most evident transformation in the travel behavior of Italians: travel has become an intentional, reflective, and meaningful gesture.
And this is reflected in every parameter: frequency, duration, budget, destination choice, type of experience sought.
According to recent analyses, over 90% of Italians declare they are ready to travel in 2025. This is not just a statement of intent: booking data, online searches, and real behavior confirm that the desire to move is strong and widespread, regardless of age or income. What changes is the intensity and the meaning attributed to travel.
Travel frequency is increasing
With a marked growth in long weekends, holiday bridges, and short trips repeated several times a year. The average duration of major holidays tends to be more flexible: stays are slightly shorter, but experiences are lived more fully. Every day of travel is perceived as an opportunity not to be wasted, and experiences are planned with care, often well in advance.
What about the budget? Here, too, we observe an interesting bifurcation. On one hand, the segment seeking savings and last-minute deals is growing, driven by ongoing economic uncertainty and perceived inflation. But so is the segment willing to spend more for authentic, tailor-made, meaningful experiences. The experience has surpassed the destination, and the perceived value no longer depends solely on the place but on the quality of the time spent.
Among the factors influencing choices, several timely elements stand out. Economic considerations remain central, but no longer decisive. Geopolitical elements come into play, such as perceived safety in destination countries, healthcare accessibility, and social stability. And then, there is a new protagonist: sustainability. Increasingly, Italians, especially those under 40 and over 60, choose to travel consciously, preferring destinations that protect the environment, engage local communities, and promote virtuous practices.
In this context, trust in the brand, destination, and operator assumes a new value. People choose based on how much they feel represented, welcomed, and respected. They want trips that align with their worldview and offer something more than mere entertainment. It’s travel not just in search of places, but of identity affirmations. A tourism that has ceased to be consumption and has become a relationship.
Where Italians Are Going Today
In 2025, Italians are traveling again with a renewed spirit. They don’t move just to get away, but to rediscover places that speak to emotion, identity, and well-being. Destinations are no longer chosen based on trends or distance, but for their ability to offer something memorable: authenticity, beauty, and hospitality.
Europe remains the most popular choice, thanks to its diversity and ease of access. Historic capitals like Paris and Barcelona continue to top preferences, but cities like Porto, Valencia, Athens, and Budapest are also rising steadily, offering an excellent balance between quality and price. The Mediterranean is expanding its horizons: Türkiye, Tunisia, and Morocco attract travelers with multisensory experiences and captivating atmospheres, while North Africa is regaining favor among Italian travelers thanks to improved perceptions of safety.
In long-haul travel, there is a marked return to Southeast Asia: Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia enchant with their spiritual energy, powerful nature, and deep culture. Japan is regaining interest, as are Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, and select parts of Brazil and Argentina. Italy itself remains strong, though more selectively: regions that combine culture, nature, and hospitality—like Puglia, Sicily, Tuscany, and Trentino, hold their place, while areas like Umbria, Marche, and Calabria are emerging, offering slower-paced, more authentic forms of tourism.
Destinations on the Rise
Alongside all this, a new world is emerging. Destinations that once seemed remote or off the radar are now attracting a growing number of Italians. Countries like Georgia and Albania are gaining attention thanks to improved air connections and a coherent, sincere image built around the value of the land. In Latin America, Guatemala and Ecuador offer intense experiences between nature and culture, while Rwanda, in addition to safaris, now promotes itineraries tied to art and social innovation.
Every new direct flight opens up previously unthinkable scenarios.
From Uzbekistan to Saudi Arabia, from Jordan to Oman, destinations once considered remote are becoming tangible opportunities for experiential tourism rich in history, hospitality, and breathtaking landscapes. Some countries, like Egypt, are rewriting their narratives, shifting from mass tourism to something more intimate, storytelling-based, and sustainable.
What these emerging destinations have in common is the ability to offer authentic experiences at accessible prices—but above all, the ability to surprise. They don’t just sell trips: they offer new emotional geographies that speak to the desire for discovery, transformation, and depth. Because for many Italians today, that is what truly makes the difference.
New Inner Routes: Growing Niche Trends
In 2025, alongside large tourist flows, a more intimate and intentional form of tourism is emerging. More and more travelers seek experiences to live, not just to photograph. It is from these quieter trajectories that new trends are born, trends capable of rewriting the rules of travel.
Sustainable tourism is no longer just a brochure phrase, but a real criterion. More and more Italians—especially under 40 and over 60, are choosing destinations that respect the environment, involve local communities, and ensure transparency. They want to know where their money goes, sleep in places that align with their values, and live experiences that generate shared value.
Slow tourism is also on the rise: trekking, cycling, and train journeys.
Slowness becomes a luxury that invites listening, observation, and appreciation. From Italy to Türkiye, from the Balkans to South America, routes are multiplying that foster connection with nature and with oneself.
Digital nomadism is now a reality. Increasing numbers of Italians between the ages of 30 and 50 are choosing destinations where they can work remotely and live well. No longer just vacations, but inspiring daily lives: Portugal, Colombia, and Thailand are becoming meeting points between work and freedom.
Experiential travel is growing: today, people travel to do, not just to see.
Home kitchens, grape harvests, artisan workshops, spiritual festivals, experiences that transform, that leave a mark. Culture lives in faces and gestures more than in museums. Italians no longer want to feel like tourists: they want to belong, even if only for a few days.
At the heart of it all lies a common thread: the need for authenticity. A perhaps overused word, but still a powerful one. Because today, a journey is worthwhile when it leaves something inside. When it remains.
Truly Speaking: Marketing That Recognizes People
We must stop speaking to everyone and start speaking to each person according to their worldview. This is the revolution in tourism marketing: listening, understanding, and communicating with authenticity. Italian travelers are not targets—they are people with unique values, expectations, and desires. What works are authentic contents, real stories. A well-written newsletter can be worth more than a social media campaign. A podcast can touch more deeply than a carousel. Communities and audio content are now spaces where decisions are made. Each segment has its own tone, its own channel, its own promise.
Tourism no longer asks to sell—it asks to understand better. Only those who recognize the person behind the traveler can accompany them in an experience that is worth their time.
Looking Ahead: Between Forecasts, Adaptation, and Possibilities
2025 does not require precise forecasts, but vision, adaptability, and sensitivity. Data tells us that Europe is holding strong, that the Mediterranean remains strategic. But beyond the numbers, it is the imagination that counts. Tourism is made of emotions, perceptions, and trust. Italian travelers are no longer those of 2019. They want experiences that are truer, more personalized. They demand coherence, relationship, listening. In return, they offer something valuable: their trust.
For operators, this means abandoning pre-packaged formulas. Every proposal must be carefully crafted, every message finely tuned.
Experiential tourism is not a package—it is a vision. Sustainability is not a label—it is a commitment. Regenerative travel is a promise: to offer well-lived time.
Those who are able to understand these needs, enhance their own identity, and build sincere relationships will continue to grow. Because the tourism of the future is, above all, an act of relationship. And in this relationship, Italy has everything it takes to play a leading role. Because it is a country that knows how to welcome, to tell stories, to stir emotions. But it needs an updated narrative, capable of speaking to the new travelers—those who are not just looking for a place to go, but a story to enter.
So, where are Italians going? They are heading toward destinations that welcome them, that surprise them, that respect them. They are seeking experiences that leave a mark, that offer awareness and the sense of well-lived time.
And those who can accompany them on this journey, with care and vision, will connect with a new world that is being born.
Source: unwto.org
