Italian restaurants abroad: overseas agencies of national tourism. When the existence of a destination is strengthened through food

The journey to Italy does not begin at the airport, but seated at the table of an Italian restaurant in London, New York or Tokyo. It is there that the foreign visitor experiences their first, genuine cultural and sensory encounter with our country. This is why Italian cuisine around the world is not merely a commercial activity, but a true tourism promotion agency for Italy. This panel will explore the increasingly close relationship between Italian restaurants abroad and the tourist attractiveness of our country, through data, analyses and testimonials from industry operators. The main international trends will be presented, along with statistics on tourist flows generated by interest in Italian food and wine culture, and the role that Italian restaurants worldwide play in building Italy's image and reputation. This is an important opportunity to understand how to further enhance this network of ambassadors of the Sense of Italy, seize new development opportunities and strengthen the contribution of the restaurant industry to the economic, cultural and tourism promotion of the country.