Bologna, December 30, 2024 – Cesarine concludes 2024 with enthusiasm, celebrating a year filled with new initiatives and unprecedented popularity among the national audience: Italian guests of Cesarine increased by 25%, compared to the 12% growth of food and wine tourism in the country. According to the recent Food and Wine Tourism Report by Roberta Garibaldi, “In the stagnation of domestic tourism, the bond between Italians and food and wine travel has grown even stronger: 70% report having taken at least one trip in the last three years primarily motivated by food, wine, and olive oil, marking a 12% increase over 2023.”
Cesarine’s offerings are growing at more than twice the rate of an already booming trend, reaching a large pool of potential buyers—estimated at around 14.5 million—who predominantly choose domestic destinations. The new format entirely dedicated to the Italian audience, “Seratine”, received excellent feedback. These weekly events in ten different cities allowed guests to prepare a traditional recipe and toast together in an aperitivo-style gathering, or to get hands-on with a more elaborate recipe in the “Mani in Pasta” (Hands in Dough) sessions.
This reaffirms the appreciation for the authentic experiences offered by Cesarine, as well as the international growth of food and wine tourism. For the platform, which originated under the shadow of Bologna’s Two Towers and now spans the entire country, the United States remains the main market, with over 30,000 guests in 2024. Following are Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Northern Europe (particularly Germany, France, and Switzerland).
As an ambassador of authentic Italian cuisine, Cesarine.com has strengthened its mission to promote Italy’s food and wine heritage through innovative projects and valuable collaborations. Noteworthy among this year’s initiatives were partnerships with The Borghi più Belli d’Italia (The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy) and Dimore Storiche d’Epoca, agreements aimed at bringing tourism beyond traditional flows, highlighting the hidden gems of Italy. With a focus on authentic experiences, Cesarine has helped thousands of visitors discover the beauty and traditions of Italy’s small villages. Additionally, in June, Cesarine inaugurated its first cooking school in Assisi, a place where visitors can learn the art of Italian cooking directly from its most passionate custodians. This project marks a significant step forward in passing on Italy’s culinary culture.
The Cesarine community—managed by Home Food Società Benefit—continues to stand out for its commitment to social causes. Among the 2024 nonprofit activities, highlights include collaborations with UDI Bologna to support female inmates at the Bologna correctional facility, with Emmaus Alba to help individuals facing various challenges, and with the Tortellante project in Modena, which combines tradition and inclusion to support young people with autism. These initiatives demonstrate Cesarine’s dedication to using cooking as a tool for empowerment and connection.
Finally, 2024 marked a major milestone for Cesarine: the 20th anniversary of the founding of the historic association that the platform and community now represent. To celebrate, Cesarine and Cesarini from all over Italy gathered in Bologna for a grand event celebrating the tradition and authenticity of home cooking—the values on which the community has always been founded. Closing the year, Cesarine brought authentic Italian cuisine overseas with two cooking classes for media, creators, and travel advisors, as well as a presentation organized by ENIT at the Italian Cultural Institute in New York City, in collaboration with Bologna Welcome and Destination Verona Garda.
With a vision always focused on innovation and inclusivity, Cesarine is preparing for 2025 with new projects and a renewed commitment to bringing the authenticity of Italian cuisine to the world. The story continues, and Cesarine is ready to write its next chapter.
Cesarine.com is the first online platform in Italy for food experiences with a community of 1,500 amateur cooks who in 2023 opened the doors of their homes and territories to 50,000 guests, predominantly international (+65% compared to 2022) to offer cooking classes, dining experiences, and food, wine, market tours. Born in 2004 in Bologna as the Association for the Protection and Valorization of Typical Italian Culinary Gastronomic Heritage, in 2014 the community became a platform under the guidance of tech entrepreneur Davide Maggi - creator of some of Italy's first digital startups and executive director of the Digital Marketing & Communication Executive Program at Bologna Business School. Slow Food Community since 2019, at its 20th anniversary, Cesarine receives dozens of spontaneous applications every week. In the first quarter of 2024, Cesarine-branded food experiences recorded a 20% increase, with Bologna leading the travelers' choices for the first time, up 25% compared to 2023, and a notable increase in Sicily, with Palermo +60% and Messina +130% and the Cinque Terre doubling the presences compared to the same period in 2023.