Economic impact estimated at around 30 billion euros in 2022
Food becomes the main item of the holiday budget in Italy with over a third of expenditure destined for the table to eat meals in restaurants, pizzerias, trattorias or farmhouses, but also for street food or food and wine souvenirs in markets, festivals and country fairs. This is what emerges from an analysis by Coldiretti disclosed on the occasion of Bit 2023, the Milan International Tourism Exchange.
It is – underlines Coldiretti – an economic impact that is estimated at around 30 billion euros in 2022, divided between Italian and foreign tourists who increasingly choose the Belpaese as a holiday destination for table leaders. A result that demonstrates the immense historical and cultural value of the national food and wine heritage that it is spread throughout the territory and from whose valorisation – explains Coldiretti – many of the opportunities for economic and employment development depend. But the table also represents an extraordinary lever for the promotion of Made in Italy food in the world where in 2022 it will reach the record value of 60 billion euros, according to estimates by Coldiretti
Italy has thus become a world leader in food and wine tourism being able to count on the greenest agriculture in Europe 5450 specialties are obtained according to traditional rules protracted over time for at least 25 years surveyed by the Regions, 320 Dop/Igp recognized at community level and 415 Doc/Docg winesthe leadership in organic farming with around 86,000 organic farms, 25,000 agritourism establishments that have kept the secrets of country cooking for generations, 10,000 farmers in direct sales with Campagna Amica and the numerous enhancement initiatives, from festivals to wine roads.
Without forgetting – Coldiretti continues – the boom of the 25,400 Italian agritourism companies, which are able to offer a potential of more than 294,000 beds and 532,000 seats for refreshments and almost 2,000 educational farm activities for the little ones. The ability to keep food and wine traditions unchanged over time it is – continues Coldiretti – the quality most appreciated by guests of farmhouses where it is possible to rediscover the flavors of the past truly at zero kilometers handed down for generations. At the same time, the offer in the campaigns of innovative services for sportsmen, nostalgics, the curious and environmentalists increases.
An offer that also drives small villages with less than five thousand inhabitants where 92% of typical national products are born according to the survey Coldiretti/Symbolaa wealth preserved over time by agricultural businesses with a daily commitment to ensure the preservation of historical crops.
“Italy is the only country in the world that can count primates in the quality, environmental sustainability and safety of its agri-food production which, moreover, has contributed to maintaining a territory with landscapes of unique beauty over time”, said the president of Coldiretti Ettore Prandini in underlining that the treasures food and wine they are real works of art jealously preserved by generations of farmers that must be defended from the risk of homologation and forgery.
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