As part of the Abu Dhabi stop of the World Tour Vespucci and Italy Village, The Wonders of Italian Tourism and the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, represented a marked interest in promoting the country among Gulf tourists. In 2023, Italy recorded an increase of over +44 per cent in travellers from Abu Dhabi and +32 per cent from Dubai to Italy, while Saudi Arabia registered a 95 per cent rise in visitors.