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It is no longer just a journey in search of grandparents' homes or the place of origin. Roots Tourism is becoming one of Italy's most important strategies to strengthen ties with over 80 million Italians, Italian descendants and people of Italian origin scattered around the world, transforming family memory into a concrete opportunity for territorial development. And in this new phase, the project finds an unexpected but increasingly central ally: sport, with the Italian National Olympic Committee at the forefront.
The theme was at the centre of the Conference of Italian Consuls in the World, held in Rome on 12 and 13 June 2026, during which the Farnesina reiterated its commitment to continue and strengthen the project, born thanks to PNRR funds and now entering a new phase of growth. The most symbolic moment came on 14 June, when at Piazzale della Farnesina, CONI, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, celebrated the conclusion of the first phase of the project and launched the CONI Trophy 2026.
Making the link between sport and roots concrete were the real protagonists of the evening: delegations of under-14 athletes from Italian Communities Abroad in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, the United States, Switzerland and Venezuela, accompanied by coaches, CONI Delegates from Italian communities abroad and over one hundred mayors of Roots Municipalities. The presence of a Swiss delegation takes on particular value for the Italian community in Switzerland, among the largest in Europe, demonstrating how the project can speak to new generations who grew up far from the villages of their ancestors.
The young people took part in the CONI Fair Play Games, multidisciplinary sports activities inspired by the International Olympic Committee's Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP), and at the end of a dedicated programme were awarded the plaque of "Young Ambassadors of Sports Diplomacy". The ceremony, opened by the Italian national anthem performed by the Carabinieri Music Band, was attended by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Tourism Minister Gianmarco Mazzi, CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio, Italian Swimming Federation President Paolo Barelli, Settebello coach Sandro Campagna and former cycling champion Vincenzo Nibali. There was no shortage of moments dedicated to Italian excellence, from the demonstration by starred chef Alessandro Circiello to the launch of Italian Pasta Day in the World.
In his speech, Tajani announced the start of the second phase of the programme, describing sport as a tool capable of uniting and making thousands of young people of Italian origin scattered around the world feel at home. Closing the evening was the CONI president, Luciano Buonfiglio, who claimed the leading role of the sports movement and its value as a vehicle for identity and national pride, summarising the meaning of the day with a clear phrase: sport, he said, "can make the world better".
The closing event organised at the Farnesina on 14 June represented a symbolic but also operational moment. In the presence of over one hundred mayors of the so-called Roots Municipalities, Italian Consuls from around the world, institutions and sector operators, the Government outlined the future prospects of the programme. For the strengthening of Roots Tourism, 200 million euros from the Development and Cohesion Fund can be used, resources that will make it possible to expand projects already underway and involve a growing number of Italian territories.
The estimates presented during the institutional events confirm that Roots Tourism continues to grow. According to data illustrated by the Farnesina, in 2024 roots tourists numbered approximately 6.6 million, while in 2026 it is expected to exceed 7.4 million travellers, with total spending generated that could exceed 5.5 billion euros. Numbers that demonstrate how this segment now represents a strategic component of Italian tourism, with particularly positive effects for villages, inland areas and small municipalities often excluded from major tourist flows. At the heart of the offer remains the Italea platform, dedicated precisely to Italians abroad and Italian descendants wishing to reconnect with their origins.
The Conference of Consuls also confirmed the central role of the Italian diplomatic network. Consulates are called upon not only to provide administrative services, but also to promote initiatives that strengthen the relationship between Italian communities abroad and their territories of origin, facilitating participation in Roots Tourism programmes and contributing to the dissemination of opportunities offered by Italian municipalities.
Alongside the diplomatic network and municipalities, an increasingly important role could also be played by the Italian sports movement around the world. CONI's foreign delegations, present in numerous countries, represent a widespread network capable of involving thousands of Italians residing abroad and young Italian descendants. In this context, the CONI Delegation in Switzerland, which operates in one of the countries with the largest Italian community in Europe, can become a reference point for promoting Roots Tourism through sporting events, cultural meetings, youth exchanges and initiatives that unite sport, identity and territory.
Sport, in fact, is much more than a competition: it is a tool for bringing people together, transmitting values and strengthening the sense of belonging. Organising summer camps in Italian villages, tournaments dedicated to Italians abroad, twinning arrangements between sports clubs and municipalities of origin, or programmes that combine sporting activities and rediscovery of one's roots could help bring new generations closer to the country of their ancestors. In particular, young people born abroad often know Italy through family stories, but have never visited their grandparents' place of origin. Sport can become the universal language capable of transforming this emotional bond into a concrete experience, encouraging new tourist flows and consolidating the relationship with Italian territories.
Roots Tourism is not just about visiting ancestors' birthplaces. More and more administrations are building dedicated experiences ranging from genealogical research in municipal archives to visits to family homes of origin, from meetings with local communities to traditional cooking workshops, to cultural and nature trails and the rediscovery of traditions, dialects and crafts. The aim is to offer an authentic experience, capable of transforming the tourist into a guest who returns multiple times and maintains a lasting bond with the territory.
After the success of the Year of Roots and projects funded by the PNRR, Roots Tourism thus enters a new phase. The goal is to transform an emotional journey into a permanent tool for economic development, cultural enhancement and promotion of Made in Italy, with sport acting as a bridge between Italian communities around the world and their territories of origin. For millions of Italians abroad and their descendants, returning to their grandparents' village means rediscovering a part of their identity. For Italy, however, it represents a great opportunity to revitalise villages, support local economies and strengthen ties with a community that continues to feel profoundly Italian, even thousands of kilometres away.
