USI signs report on the relationship between fashion and tourism

The report titled "Fashion and Cultural Tourism - Connecting Creators, Businesses, and Destinations," edited by the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) and UN Tourism (formerly known as the World Tourism Organization), has recently been published. This document explores the two-way relationship between fashion and tourism.

The report was written by Prof. Lorenzo Cantoni, Full Professor at the Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society and Head for the UNESCO Chair at USI, by Igor Stefanovic, Technical Coordinator of the Ethics, Culture and Social Responsibility (ECSR) Department at UN Tourism, and by Giorgia Ventura, Project Associate at ECSR.

In the last decade, there has been a wider recognition of fashion as an integral part of cultural, prevalently intangible heritage and of creative industries. Buying fashion items—such as textiles, accessories, perfumes, and other goods—is not just a functional decision; it carries a deeper significance. Fashion items reflect a sense of place, lifestyle, and popular culture. Memories of a journey can be connected to traditional designs and contemporary craft and design practices.

Therefore, this report aims to investigate the relationship between fashion - as part of the creative economy - and cultural tourism. The research examines the relationship between tourism and fashion from both perspectives: how tourism influences fashion and how fashion trends, events, and practices attract travellers to specific destinations. The paper aims to provide recommendations for governments and tourist destinations on how to leverage fashion to promote sustainable cultural tourism.

The paper was created using information gathered from a questionnaire and in-depth interviews with selected participants. It includes several conceptual and theoretical chapters, followed by the presentation of eleven case studies and a compilation of potential policy-making interventions.

You can download the full report at the following link.

The press release is attached.