Welcoming Tourists from India: ICCI Highlights Cultural Awareness and Authentic Italian Experiences
At Shopping Tourism—the Italian forum—ICCI explored how Italian destinations and businesses can better engage Indian travelers through culturally informed hospitality and experiences rooted in local identity.
The Indian Chamber of Commerce in Italy (ICCI) participated in "Shopping Tourism – il forum italiano" at the invitation of Risposte Turismo, contributing to a discussion focused on the opportunities presented by the Indian tourism market for Italy.
Tara Rosa Eleonora Percesepe, Project Manager at ICCI, joined the panel to discuss the cultural characteristics of Indian travelers and the importance of understanding their expectations when developing hospitality services and tourism experiences.
The discussion centered on a guiding principle: Think Global, Act Local. For Italian destinations, attracting international visitors means combining an understanding of their cultural backgrounds with experiences that reflect the distinctive character of each region.
Alongside Italy’s iconic landmarks, local traditions, craftsmanship, cuisine, and culture offer opportunities to forge meaningful connections with Indian visitors. This approach also serves as a way to promote “Made in Italy” as an expression of the country’s heritage, skills, and regional identities.
Parma and its surrounding area offer a compelling example, bringing together food, culture, craftsmanship, manufacturing, and tradition. Such destinations illustrate the potential to develop itineraries that encourage travelers to discover Italy beyond its most well-established tourist routes.
ICCI’s contribution reflected its commitment to strengthening ties between India and Italy and supporting opportunities for Indian delegations and travelers to experience the diversity of Italy’s regions. Building closer ties between tourism operators, local businesses, and institutions is an important part of this work.
ICCI extends its sincere thanks to Risposte Turismo for the invitation and for bringing together industry perspectives on the future of shopping tourism and international hospitality.
