(by Marzia Apice).
Italian wedding destinations are increasingly popular, according to data released by the Florence-based Tourism research center Centro Studi ahead of the 'Buy Wedding in Italy Tour' event running from February 23 through April 11.
The center said that 7,000 foreign couples picked an Italian destination for their wedding in 2015, spending on average 54,000 euros.
Overall, the wedding business generated over 330,000 arrivals and a total of 1.1 million tourists in Italy that year, according to the research center.
The roadshow kicking off on February 23 is organized by Bussolaeventi, the company behind the Buy Wedding in Italy, a platform for wedding planners.
The event, including workshops and meetings, is scheduled to start in Florence and then move to Padua, Bari, Turin, Naples, Milan and Palermo.
Its aim is to help wedding professionals and companies conquer new foreign clients who are attracted by superb Italian settings as a backdrop for their special day.
The idea is to stimulate specific areas to offer tailor-made packages of the best local Italian traditions with an international touch, organizers said.
Bianca Trusiani, coordinator of the technical committee of Buy Wedding in Italy, said at the presentation of the roadshow on Wednesday that the best strategy to win over new clients is to differentiate packages based on budget and the couple's nationality, offering a wide range of services, from flowers and catering to photos and the wedding dress.
Packages should include cheaper options such as a 'full-day wedding', a symbolic wedding for the couple, to a large event at a five-star resort, said Trusiani.
"Offers must be personalized based on the perception a client has of Italy: Indian nationals view us differently from Americans, and the same is true for couples from the East or immigrants who come back to rediscover their Italian roots".
Trusiani noted that "any place can become a destination for a wedding: what counts is being competent, professional and specialized" in order to offer packages inspired by the Italian lifestyle yet suitable for international costumers and their different expectations.
"We want to start from a local dimension to reach the foreign market", said Trusiani.
Following the roadshow, the 2017 edition of the Buy Wedding in Italy trade fair is scheduled to take place at the Fiera di Bologna on October 20-22, to coincide with the Bologna Si Sposa and Gay Bride fairs also organized in the northern city.
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