The European destination where more and more tourists are coming to celebrate their wedding

They come from the United States and the United Kingdom , they bring many guests, they want a party that lasts several days and they choose unusual places, from vineyards to beaches , from villas to villages in central Italy and Sicily . They prefer the summer months and, for their celebrations, they do not skimp on expenses, especially on food.

This is the photo of the weddings of foreign couples who chose Italy to celebrate their wedding in 2024, a year in which 15,100 couples said "I do" on Italian soil.

This is confirmed by the data from "Destination Wedding Italia" , organised by Convention Bureau Italia and Italy for Weddings to illustrate the rapidly growing situation of wedding tourism in Italy on a sample of 896 supply chain entrepreneurs.

The analysis reveals data that recognizes this European country as an irreplaceable wedding destination for its culture, history and beauty.

"It is a sector that creates jobs and promotes our beautiful regions ," said Italy's Minister of Tourism, Daniela Santanché.

"Wedding tourism continues to grow, making Italy a leading international destination. The number of weddings that become major events is increasing, and this year's trend is also growing in long-distance markets, from Canada to Japan, from Argentina to India, from the United Arab Emirates to South-East Asia ," explains Carlotta Ferrari, President of Convention Bureau Italia.

"There is a desire on the part of foreigners to organise unique weddings thanks to the appeal of Made in Italy and local products," adds Ferrari.

The figures are impressive: more than 15,100 weddings with an increase of +11.4% compared to 2023 , with 960 thousand people involved; 4 million overnight stays and an increase in the number of guests, over 100 units, which with inflation pushes the average expenditure of the event to +4.2% compared to 2023, reaching approximately 61,500 euros, where the catering item is the highest (36%).

Induced activity is close to one billion euros (compared to 500 million euros in 2018) distributed across a broad and qualified supply chain (demand for wedding planners , for example, amounts to 46.3%).

The interest of foreign couples is high in Central Italy (31.1%), but there is growing interest in the South and the Islands (29.3%). In particular, Sicily is one of the most popular regions and is the setting for a new edition of "Italy for Weddings - The Event", which is taking place in Palermo from 2019 to 21 February.

"Destination weddings are a sector in which investment is needed . The data tells us about a greater relocation and an appreciation of hospitality outside the major centres," says Tobia Salvadori, director of Convention Bureau Italia.

"Those who come to Italy to get married want to become Italian and live an authentic experience in every aspect, from culture to food and decoration. And there is also a strong interest among Italians : 8,400 couples got married outside their region of residence," adds Salvadori.