event10 November nest_clock_farsight_analog02:00pm-02:50pm pin_drop Hall #7 language Italian

“Yes, forever,” but… off-script

Global wedding tourism is growing at a double-digit rate, but demand is shifting along a new axis: it’s no longer just about the destination, but about how much it deviates from the expected script.

Couples choosing where to say “I do” or where to spend their honeymoon expect an experience unlike any other. The Cook Islands, the Seychelles, and Villa d’Este each offer their own unique take on this: a ceremony in the middle of a deserted lagoon in Aitutaki or on One Foot Island, in the heart of the Pacific; an archipelago in the Indian Ocean where granite cliffs, beaches, and coral reefs become part of the ceremony; a 16th-century estate on Lake Como, among the most beautiful hotels in the world and the dream of many travelers.

This is a topic worth examining from two perspectives: on the one hand, Italian couples who travel across the globe to say “I do” on a Pacific atoll or in an Indian Ocean archipelago; on the other hand, couples who come from the other side of the world to get married in Italy, on Lake Como.

The panel compares three high-end wedding and honeymoon models, examining both outbound and inbound travel, to explore what it means—in terms of logistics, seasonality, and investment—to design a one-of-a-kind wedding experience: accessibility and transportation in remote locations, requirements for civil or symbolic weddings abroad, partnerships with wedding planners and industry professionals, and economic benefits for the local supply chain that align with the region’s sustainability goals.

And the role of DMOs and facilities in transforming an asset that cannot be replicated elsewhere into a marketable product, without it losing its uniqueness.

Is the luxury of uniqueness still a privilege reserved for the few, or is it already the arena in which the next battle for global experiential tourism will be fought?

Speakers include Nicholas Costantini (Cook Islands Tourism Corporation), Danielle Di Gianvito (Seychelles Tourism Board Italy), and Maria Gasparella (Villa d’Este Hotels). The discussion will be moderated by Clara Svanera, a journalist covering tourism, culture, international affairs, and women’s travel.