Italy continues to be a top destination for international travelers spending their vacations abroad, including during the winter season. The country is able to meet a wide range of expectations: art, mountain destinations, and Christmas markets are among the most popular packages for European travelers, alongside food and wine tourism, historic villages, luxury vacations, and heritage tourism, which are especially popular with visitors from overseas.
This is highlighted by ENIT’s monitoring of the holiday period covering Christmas, New Year’s, and Epiphany, which offers an overview of organized tourism from Italy’s main inbound markets. The study includes 13 foreign markets and involves numerous tour operators.
For the 2025–26 holiday season, sales for Italy increased in 46.8% of cases, rising to 50% within EU countries. Long-haul travel to Italian destinations is also growing, according to 43.8% of operators, driven by the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Asian markets.
Italy’s appeal is further confirmed by the latest analyses from the Ministry of Tourism. Between December 30, 2025, and January 7, 2026, the average occupancy rate of Italian accommodations reached 47.8%, up 2.6 percentage points compared with the same period the previous year. Italy therefore holds the European lead in this area, ahead of its main competitors, which did not exceed an average of 47% over the same period. This result shows a positive trend both in absolute performance and in international competitiveness, outperforming destinations such as Greece, Spain, and France.
In particular, the Aosta Valley recorded an occupancy rate of 66.72%, ranking first overall. It was followed by the Autonomous Province of Trento at 66.04% and the Autonomous Province of Bolzano at 64.35%, confirming the strong appeal of Alpine destinations for winter tourism and ski-related activities. Strong performances were also recorded outside the Alps, with Umbria at 56.03% and Abruzzo at 51.5%.
Among the most popular packages for international visitors are art and culture trips, with Rome, Florence, and Venice as cornerstones of holiday travel; mountain and ski vacations centered on the Dolomites, Aosta Valley, and Trentino; food and wine tourism, particularly popular overseas; religious tourism and pilgrimages linked to the 2025 Jubilee; stays in small towns and villages sought for authenticity; and Southern Italy, with destinations such as Naples, the Amalfi Coast, Sicily, Puglia, and Matera attracting visitors thanks to traditions, mild weather, and cultural and culinary offerings.
The data clearly show that Italy remains highly attractive and continues to grow, welcoming travelers both from nearby countries and from the United States, Canada, Australia, and across Asia, drawn by a uniquely diverse tourism offering.
