Italy is set to register a boost in tourist numbers if Italian cuisine wins UNESCO World Heritage status on December 10 in New Delhi, according to the first results of a research carried out by Rome's Unitelma Sapienza University.
    The verdict on Italian cuisine is set to be issued at the end of the final meeting that opened Monday in New Delhi after the technical dossier was greenlighted a month ago.
    Overall, 60 dossiers from 56 countries are being evaluated, including Italy's, which promotes the country's cuisine in its entirety for the first time rather than a single tradition or recipe.
    The research on the 'Economic impact of UNESCO's designations' was launched in 2023 under the direction of Pier Luigi Petrillo, a professor of cultural heritage and food at Rome's Luiss Guido Carli University.
    The study recorded a 3.26% decrease in tourist arrivals at cultural sites with no designation compared to a 7.39% increase for UNESCO heritage sites over the 2023-2024 period.
    "The data connected to tourism, local productions and the global workforce" showed that locations linked to food traditions "that have been recognized by UNESCO are more attractive and productive compared to similar places without the recognition", Petrillo told ANSA.
    If Italian cuisine succeeds in obtaining the status, local cult dishes including the Roman spaghetti Carbonara and the Florentine steak will be on the same footing as the historical centres of Rome, Florence and Venice.

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