Everything you need to know about roots travel And why it could help tackle overtourism in Italy
Since it became possible to purchase a genetic test at a pharmacy or online, the way we travel has begun to change. People no longer travel just to discover new places, but to go back to something deeply personal: their own origins. Roots travel, or genealogical tourism, has become a global phenomenon that blends genealogy, identity, and geography into a completely new form of cultural experience. It’s a journey that starts with a vial of saliva and ends in the country where one’s ancestors lived. Human beings have always had the need to know where they come from, but until technology made digital archives and low-cost DNA tests accessible, that need remained mostly theoretical, at most, hidden in a photo album. Today, however, a single click is all it takes to receive a genetic kit at home, and within a few weeks, obtain a detailed mapping of one’s ethnic origins. And so, the desire to return to ancestral places becomes real.
@davidroccosvita Roots Traveling with Italea is a project dedicated to those Italian immigrants and their children who want to rediscover the places, customs and culture of their ancestors…. It’s Italy off the beaten path! On November 2nd, I visited the 1000 year old market of Ballarò on ‘Day of the Dead’or ‘All Souls day’ it’s all about tradition here. On this day it seems everyone eats this dressed bread or Muffuliatta as they call it. A lunch or snack that for 100’s of years was eaten when visiting the graves of their loved ones. Simple, traditional ingredients that they had on hand. Bread, anchovies, olive oil and oregano. Today in Palermo you can find these panini aka Muffuliatta being served all year long, but on November 2nd this is what the locals make sure to eat. Love these wonderful traditions that can be found all over Italy but especially when traveling off the beaten paths @_italea @italeasicilia #RootsTravel #Italia #Italy #Tradition #OffTheBeatenPath original sound - David Rocco
The change can also be seen in the numbers: according to a study published by Airbnb in 2023, genealogical tourism has grown by 500% in just ten years, with a 120% increase in searches related to the term heritage travel. Furthermore, 78% of travelers involved in this type of experience visit their family’s country of origin for the first time in their lives. In this new map of the world drawn by genealogy, Italy holds a special place. With over 80 million Italian descendants spread around the world, the Bel Paese is one of the most sought-after destinations for roots travel. To meet this demand, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched ITALEA, a project that offers guided tours of places of origin, support in genealogical research, and experiential itineraries through the historical heritage of small Italian towns. A 2024 survey conducted by Analytics & Arts also highlighted that Italian villages involved in the project saw an average 15% increase in tourist visits related to roots tourism, with positive impacts on the local economy, especially for family-run accommodations and culture-related services. In Italy, genealogical tourism could effectively help combat overtourism by relieving crowded areas and guiding curious Italian descendants to less-traveled regions, for a more authentic experience.
@growingupitalian This guy’s Itaaaaayen @porkchopzcomedy #fyp #italian #italianamerican original sound - growingupitalian
Meanwhile, social media has also transformed roots travel into a new storytelling language. On TikTok, hashtags like #ancestry, #genealogyTok, or #familytree gather millions of views and hundreds of personal stories in which young creators, often from the U.S. or Australia, recount their journeys to their roots: arriving in small unknown towns, making visits to cemeteries to search for forgotten surnames, and meeting relatives they didn’t know existed. Roots tourism therefore seems destined to stay, a type of travel that touches a deep, personal need while aligning with real trends. For Italy, the phenomenon is a great opportunity not only to attract new visitors, but also to revive places and stories often forgotten. If institutions and local communities can keep up, roots travel could become more than just a trend: a different form of tourism, slower, more mindful.
