From the island of Pantelleria to the Prosecco Hills of Veneto's Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, the UNESCO World Heritage status has boosted tourism in Italy, according to the latest data published by Rome's Sapienza University ahead of a UNESCO decision expected Wednesday on whether to add Italian cuisine to its World Heritage list.
    The Sicilian island of Pantelleria, which obtained UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status in 2014 for its traditional bush vine cultivation, has recorded an average 9.7% increase in tourism a year with out-of-season tourism peaking by 75%, said the research which examined the 2023-2024 period.
    The art of the Neapolitan 'Pizzaiuolo' (pizza maker), which was put on the Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2017, led to a 283% hike in professional courses and a 420% in recognized schools, all located abroad, according to the research.
    Meanwhile the preliminary results of the study carried out by the UNESCO Chair of Rome's Unitelma Sapienza University directed by Pier Luigi Petrillo found that the Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, which became a UNESCO world heritage site in 2019, registered a 45.4% growth of tourist facilities compared to the 3% average registered in similar sites and a 35.4% hike in lodgings against the 8.2% of similar locations.
    The verdict on Italy's cuisine is expected on Wednesday, December 10, as the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for Intangible Cultural Heritage is meeting in New Delhi, India, from December 8 to 13.
    Sessions are attended by delegates from 185 States although only 24 will vote on the new candidatures, including France, Spain, Germany, Slovakia, the only European countries represented, as well as Ukraine, China, India, Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates.
    Italy's dossier is among 60 from 56 countries under evaluation.
    It promotes a cuisine in its entirety for the first time rather than a single tradition or recipe.

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