The roots do not forget. They guard, hand down and sometimes become the most beautiful reason to travel. It is precisely from this awareness that Happy Destination PUGLIA was born, the project of the Oll Muvi Association, conceived by the creative mind of Roberto Pansini and presented as part of the 2026 edition of Roots-IN, the fair dedicated to tourism of origins.
An initiative that looks far and aims to transform the affective bond with its homeland into a concrete experience of travel, discovery and encounter, enhancing Puglia as a privileged destination for millions of Italians and Italian-discendents in the world.
Roots-IN 2026: dialogue as a motor of roots tourism
On Wednesday, November 11, during the panel organized by the CIM – Italian Confederation in the World, dedicated to the “New development policies for return tourism”, the project was the focus of a comparison between experts in the sector and representatives of Italian communities abroad.
The meeting, moderated by Luigi Scaglione, President of CIM Basilicata, saw the participation of Francesca Schunck, for the wedding sector of Abruzzo in the World, Antonio Marzano, referent CIM Destination Wedding Italy, and Roberto Pansini, President CIM Puglia and International Ambassador of the Hoboken Italian Festival, in New Jersey (USA). Salvatore Iavarone, National Vice-President CIM, offered further ideas on future prospects.
The guiding thread of the 2026 edition of Roots-IN was DIALOGO: a word that encompasses the most authentic sense of root tourism and the possibility of creating new synergies between communities, territories and cultures, united by a common history and a heritage of shared values.
Roberto Pansini: 20 years of relationships to build bridges between Puglia and America
Protagonist of the initiative, Roberto Pansini has brought to the attention of the participants the experience gained in over twenty years of activity and relations with the Italian and Apulian communities of North America.
A path built through meetings, international missions and collaborations that helped consolidate relationships of trust and maintain alive the link between Italians abroad and territories of origin.
In his speech, Pansini also told the extraordinary story of the Hoboken Italian Festival, one of the most important events dedicated to Italian culture in New Jersey, which in September 2026 celebrated the centenary of its history and its deep Apulian roots in the United States.
A significant experience that bears witness to how much Italian culture, traditions and identity continue to live thousands of kilometres away.
Just from this heritage of relationships takes shape Happy Destination PUGLIA, the new project that in December will bring in the United States a promotion activity dedicated to the tourism of the roots, with the aim of approaching the Italian-American communities to the discovery of the places, traditions and authentic experiences of Puglia.
You are not only looking for a destination, but an emotion to find
“Cultural tourism represents 56.8% of the expenditure of foreign visitors in Italy. But today it doesn’t matter only where one goes: it counts above all how one lives a place. Authentic experiences, less-known territories and trusted relationships are redesigning international tourist demand.
Those who travel today do not simply seek a destination, but a motivation: cultural experiences, food and wine, occasions of encounter and the possibility to discover the territory in an authentic way.
Those returning to Italy, or visiting for the first time looking for their origins, want to experience immersive experiences, know new destinations, rediscover traditions and establish genuine relationships. These are the factors that will guide the international market in the coming years,” says Roberto Pansini.
And adds: “Thanks to the many missions made in the United States, we have built a relationship of trust with many Italian communities and strengthened the link with the places of origin. We have promoted dialogue and collaboration between the different souls of the Italian diaspora, creating new opportunities for meeting and a future in which the common roots can unite and enrich each other”.
The tourism of the roots is an extraordinary opportunity for the territories. It allows to distribute tourist flows throughout the year, enhancing villages, small centers, traditions, crafts, cultural heritage and food and wine excellence of Made in Italy.
Unlike the most traditional tourist models, this phenomenon is nourished by a deeply personal and affective component: the search for its genealogy, the desire to know the places told by the grandparents, the curiosity to find a house, a surname, a family history.
In this scenario Molfetta occupies a particularly important position: the city boasts one of the most numerous emigrant communities, with over 60,000 molfettesis and descendants spread across the five continents. An immense human and cultural heritage, which represents a precious opportunity to build new relationships and generate positive effects for the entire territory.
A journey that starts from the heart and returns to the origins
The Oll Muvi Association, established in the world with the brand “I Love Molfetta”, continues to believe in this vision and invest energy, enthusiasm and international relations to transform the roots into new development opportunities.
The positive feedback that comes daily from the numerous contacts with Italian communities around the world is an important incentive to continue this journey.
Because behind every return journey there is a story waiting to be told, a family that wants to reunite, a memory that takes shape again and a land that never stopped calling their children.
And perhaps this is the true beauty of Puglia: not to be just a place to visit, but a house to be found.
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