Italy Promotes Luxury Trade Ties With Croatia
Italy's ambassador opened a luxury economic promotion conference in Rovinj as bilateral trade rose 15% in the first half of 2026.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in International Trade
Italian Ambassador Paolo Trichilo opened the conference 'The Adriatic Perspective. A New Vision of Luxury & Hospitality' in Rovinj, Croatia, organized by Robb Report Italia. Italian and Croatian companies took part as trade between the two countries grew 15% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year.
Why it matters
Italy is among Croatia's top trading partners and leading foreign investors, and high-end Italian products accounted for over 10% of Italy's global exports in 2025. The embassy's work with the Sistema Italia network aims to support Italian investors operating in Croatia.
Bilateral trade between Italy and Croatia rose 15% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year. Italian high-end products accounted for over 10% of Italy's global exports in 2025, though the source does not give absolute trade values or sector breakdowns for the 2026 gain.
The players
Paolo Trichilo
Italian Ambassador to Croatia who opened the Rovinj luxury economic promotion conference and oversees the embassy's support for Italian business in the country.
Robb Report Italia
Italian edition of the luxury lifestyle magazine Robb Report, which organized the Rovinj conference on luxury and hospitality.
Riccardo Illy
Former mayor of Trieste and president of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region who spoke at the conference.
The details
The embassy runs integrated promotional activities across design, fashion, cuisine, space, research, and sports, and works with Sistema Italia, including ICE-Agenzia and the Italian-Croatian Chamber of Commerce. Speakers at the Rovinj event included Riccardo Illy, Emanuele Scarello, Filip Rossi, Emil Nimčević, and Denis Ivošević.
Timeline
First half of 2025: baseline period for the 2026 trade comparison.
2025: high-end Italian products exceeded 10% of global exports.
First half of 2026: Italy-Croatia trade rose 15% year over year.
November 7, 2026: Ambassador Trichilo opened the Rovinj conference.
Market Dynamics
The embassy's promotion of luxury trade builds on the Sistema Italia framework, which pairs ICE-Agenzia and the Italian-Croatian Chamber of Commerce with Italian investors in Croatia. The 15% trade gain in the first half of 2026 suggests this institutional support is operating alongside growing bilateral commerce.
Italian companies considering expansion into Croatia can draw on Sistema Italia support through ICE-Agenzia and the Italian-Croatian Chamber of Commerce. The 15% trade growth in the first half of 2026 indicates continued commercial activity between the two markets.
The takeaway
Italian investors looking at Croatia can start with the Sistema Italia network, which the embassy uses to coordinate support across ICE-Agenzia and the Italian-Croatian Chamber of Commerce. Trade growth of 15% in the first half of 2026 signals that the relationship is expanding.
Further reading
For more on how bilateral commerce shapes cross-border deals, explore International Trade coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ANSA.
