This summer, Italy is experiencing a major shift in the profile of its international visitors. Gone are the days when Russians dominated the luxury scene in Costa Smeralda or Germans filled the hotels on Lake Garda. Now, wealthy Indians, Arabs, Canadians, Australians, and of course Americans are reshaping the country’s tourism map, turning every region into a new stage for global travelers.

In Sardinia, Costa Smeralda has become a magnet for Indian tourists, many of them arriving on enormous white yachts that look like floating film sets. They shop extravagantly in Porto Cervo’s boutiques and bring Bollywood glamour to the Mediterranean. Their nights are spent in luxury clubs or in villas with infinity pools overlooking the coastline.