2. Growth of smaller and rural destinations

The new path of tourism goes through lesser-known destinations: the global survey conducted by Expedia indicates that 63% of respondents intend to visit these destinations during their travels in 2025, the annual survey of the Booking.com platform confirms the great interest in these places and 44% of Booking respondents say they do not want to tag these places on social networks to avoid phenomena of overtourism. The beauty and cultural richness of these places are the main drivers of choice (indicated by 11.2% and 10.3% of Italians); to these are added the enogastronomic heritage (8.8%). For the Italian tourism sector, this is a great opportunity for sustainable development, considering the negative consequences of excessive tourism in the most popular destinations: in 2023, 48.1% of foreign tourist arrivals were concentrated in just six provinces, in this order: Venice, Rome, Bolzano, Milan, Florence and Verona. 

3. Multi-product and multi-sensory wine tourism 

Wine tourism is in a phase of transition and transformation. A new form of wine tourism is emerging. Tastings and visits - still the most popular proposals - are being flanked by activities that combine the discovery of wine with the opportunity to experience places in an attractive way, with great appreciation also for tours, itineraries and thematic events. Among younger people, interest in traditional proposals is low: there is a greater desire for active experiences (hiking, active grape harvesting, ...) and wine-themed tours/itineraries. Generation Z becomes a target towards which to experience creative, immersive, sustainable and multisensory proposals that reinterpret wine culture. Broadening the scope and including the rest of the products that highlight the perception of a unique enogastronomic heritage (evo oil, pizza, pasta, cheese...), it becomes clear how the traditional formats of the wine and gastronomic offer should be rethought, enhancing the excellence of gastronomy and wine in a synergic way and betting on innovative, attractive and appealing methods, able to relate the culture and the territories beyond the ordinary.

6. Choice through social networks and TV series.

Social networks have profoundly changed the dynamics of the purchase and consumption process, especially for GenZ, who prefer Instagram (70.2%), TikTok (48.9%) and YouTube (38.3%); Millenials, on the other hand, prefer Facebook, for previous generations, social weighs less, along with magazines and specialized guides. Social networks contain a plurality of recommendations and reviews, and in this maelstrom, influencers are perceived as reliable sources. In addition, TV series and film productions are confirmed as inspirational sources of travel, triggering set-jetting with tourists/fans who have the opportunity to identify with their favorite characters and explore the places that have served as backdrops for the series they adore, and have contributed to increasing (often exponentially) the popularity of lesser-known places and attractions.

7. AI to build the journey

Artificial Intelligence is transforming the ability to personalize tourism experiences, using algorithms to analyze travelers' individual preferences. This allows tourism platforms to suggest tailor-made enogastronomy itineraries, adapting proposals to personal tastes, dietary restrictions and budgets. In the future, it will be possible to further integrate these tools into reservation systems, offering very specific experiences: the more the system knows about the traveler's tastes, the more it processes reviews on product services, the more it will be able to elaborate tailor-made solutions. The benefits are measured in: a) optimization of bookings and assistance; b) edutainment and immersive storytelling; c) sustainable management of tourism flows; d) inclusiveness and accessibility; e) training and professional development.

8. Enogastronomy, added value for receptivity

The evolution of food and drink in the hospitality industry is attested to by the figures. Whereas in the early 2000s this service was considered a mere operating cost, today 40% of hotels in Italy have an in-house restaurant. On average, this item generates around 28% of total hotel turnover, with a total economic value estimated at €3.5 billion. As for haute cuisine, 158 Michelin-starred restaurants (40% of the total) are housed in hotels. Focusing on dining offers branding opportunities, allows diversification of revenues through events and catering, and enhances the perception of the hotel. This growing focus on the world of food and beverage is turning hotel-hosted restaurants into true ambassadors for the region, with an increasing focus on the use of local ingredients and organic approaches, but also on the marriage of food and wellness with the emergence of longevity restaurants.

9. The landscape rediscovered 

Increasingly, the landscape is emerging as a key element in the choice of a tourist destination, especially for enogastronomy. 59.3% of the tourists who took part in our survey indicated the “enjoyment of rural landscapes” as the main motivation for trips made in the last 3 years, and 55.3% indicated the landscape as a strong element of interest for future trips. And this while in Italy the abandonment of rural areas and agricultural activities represents one of the main threats, compromising balances built over time thanks to the work and presence of farmers, breeders and shepherds. It is essential to intervene with specific actions to preserve the Italian rural landscape. 

10. Gastrodiplomacy, food to unite

Gastrodiplomacy is based on the idea that food is a universal language, capable of overcoming linguistic, cultural and political barriers. In times of crisis, food can serve as a reminder that, despite divisions, there are common elements that unite people.

 The “Report on Italian enogastronomy” is available at: https://academy.robertagaribaldi.it/lp-download-rapporto-turismo-enogastronomico-2024 

Author: Roberta Garibaldi

A university professor, she carries out training and research activities for the promotion of territorial, enogastronomy and cultural tourism, and is a director of applied projects at international level, she has worked for multiple Ministries of Tourism and international organizations (from UN Tourism - World Tourism Organization to FAO). She was executive director of ENIT - National Tourism Agency during the Draghi government and vice-president of the Tourism Commission of the OECD - Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. She is a keynote speaker at major events on the subject of tourism. She holds numerous positions, including that of President of the Italian Association of Wine and Gastronomy Tourism. There are also 23 books and over 60 scientific publications. There are 15 volumes of the Report on Gastronomic and Wine Tourism. She is a Knight of the Order “Of Merit of the Italian Republic”.