Prime Minister, channeling Italy’s culinary symbolism of culture, identity, tradition, and strength, pushes the bid to have Italian cuisine recognized by UNESCO, highlighting potential tourism gains tied to UNESCO status.

Notable voices rallying the argument include Da Sabatino’s Luigina Pantalone urging protection of authentic cuisine and Massimo Bottura framing Italian cuisine as an ancient, daily ritual.

Industry projections suggest UNESCO recognition could lift tourism by as much as 8% within two years, potentially adding up to 18 million overnight stays and linking Italy’s 59 million residents with up to 85 million people of Italian descent worldwide.

The cultural context notes UNESCO already lists Italian opera and truffle hunting as intangible heritage and points to the broader impact of imitation products abroad costing Italy about 120 billion euros annually.

Italy’s global food service market reached about 251 billion euros in 2024 (roughly $293 billion), accounting for 19% of the world restaurant market, while counterfeit products abroad cost the country an estimated 120 billion euros annually.

Italy’s global culinary footprint is sizable, with the 2024 global food service market at 251 billion euros and Italian cuisine comprising about 19% of global restaurants, contrasted by 120 billion euros lost annually to imitation products.

Domestic debate surrounds the bid, with critics calling it marketing and noting that many dishes cited as traditional are modern or foreign-influenced, sparking pushback from farmers’ associations.

Critics argue the bid functions as marketing, while scholars and farmers’ groups emphasize that several supposedly traditional dishes have modern or foreign origins, fueling controversy.

The effort began in March 2023, presenting Italian cooking as a social ritual that binds families and communities and showcases regional diversity from Lombardy to Puglia as evidence of biodiversity and creativity.

Illustrative regional dishes like Lombardy’s ossobuco and Puglia’s orecchiette con cime di rapa highlight the biodiversity and regional identity embedded in Italian culinary expression.

Italy’s bid for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status for its cuisine moved toward a final decision after a positive preliminary assessment, with observers noting a decision due around midweek.