India and Italy agree to strengthen tourism cooperation

India and Italy have agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector following the second India–Italy Joint Working Group (JWG) on Tourism held in New Delhi. Co-chaired by Indian Tourism Secretary Bhuvnesh Kumar and Italian counterpart Emanuela Tripi, the discussions focused on several key areas, including the exchange of tourism data, the promotion of lesser-known destinations, cine-tourism, destination twinning, and workforce skilling.

To facilitate these goals, both nations agreed to establish dedicated technical groups and designate points of contact to ensure sustained engagement between government and industry stakeholders. The meeting also addressed preparations for the proposed India–Italy Year of Culture and Tourism in 2027, aimed at expanding cultural exchanges.

This agreement aligns with broader diplomatic efforts between the two nations. Earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed intentions to leverage the India–EU Free Trade Agreement to increase bilateral trade to 20 billion euros by 2029.