(Adnkronos) – Foreign minister Antonio Tajani is set to open an event in Rome on Wednesday outlining the government’s planned events this year to boost worldwide exports of Italian goods, with a special focus on international trade fairs, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
The ‘Promoting Italian Exports Worldwide. Trade Fair Calendar and Actions of the Italian System for 2026’ meeting kicks off at the foreign ministry at 3.30 pm local time, said the statement.
“The event focuses on the role of international trade fairs in promoting (high-quality) ‘Made in Italy’ products abroad,” the statement went on.
The meeting is “a concrete follow-up” to the launch last September of the ‘Roundtable for the Internationalization of the Trade Fair System’, which aims to systematically organise available data on the ability of Italian trade fairs to promote joint actions and strategic alliances.
“The goal is to strengthen the ability of our trade fairs to appeal to foreign events and visitors,” the statement said.
A total of 878 events are already planned for 2026, with 276 international and 202 domestic trade fairs, with recent foreign ministry reforms strengthening the foreign ministry’s emphasis on economic diplomacy, according to the statement.
Italy ranks fourth in the world in terms of covered exhibition area available, after China, the United States, and Germany, the statement said.
The food, beverage, and hospitality sector will account for 12% of total events, followed by textiles, clothing, and fashion, along with sports, leisure, entertainment, and art. Significant shares are also expected for technology and mechanical engineering, agriculture, forestry, and livestock sectors, as well as jewellery, watches, and accessories.
Business forums will be held in Shanghai and Miami between April and May after last week’s high-level Italy-Germany business forum in Rome.
“At the same time, three stages are being defined leading up to the 2026 National Export Conference, dedicated to companies in Northern, Central, and Southern Italy, to fully engage the whole economy,” said the statement.
Italy held a total 915 trade fairs last year, most with a B2B focus, attracting over 17 million visitors. Eighty-nine Italian trade fairs were also held in 20 countries, led by China, Brazil, and the United States, the statement noted.
