Welcoming Tourism from India: ICCI Highlights Cultural Awareness and Authentic Italian Experiences

At Shopping Tourism – il forum italiano, ICCI explored how Italian destinations and businesses can better engage Indian travellers 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 dedicated discussion 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 specificities of Indian travellers and the importance of understanding their expectations when developing hospitality services and tourism experiences.

The discussion centred on a guiding principle: Think Global, Act Local. For Italian destinations, engaging international visitors means combining an understanding of their cultural backgrounds with experiences that reflect the distinctive character of each territory.

Alongside Italy’s iconic landmarks, local traditions, craftsmanship, gastronomy and culture offer opportunities to create meaningful connections with Indian visitors. This approach also provides a way to promote Made in Italy as an expression of the country’s heritage, skills and regional identities.

Parma and its surrounding territory offer a compelling example, bringing together food, culture, craftsmanship, manufacturing and tradition. Such destinations illustrate the potential to develop itineraries that encourage travellers to discover Italy beyond its most established tourism routes.

ICCI’s contribution reflected its commitment to strengthening connections between India and Italy and supporting opportunities for Indian delegations and travellers to experience the diversity of Italian territories. Building closer links 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.