ENIT USA promotes Milan in Chicago: an event dedicated to the city’s cultural heritage and tourism offerings
Eighty US tourism professionals took part in the “Milano & Leonardo” initiative, organised with the support of ENIT USA in collaboration with the Municipality of Milan and the Consulate General of Italy in Chicago, with the aim of promoting Milan as a destination and strengthening its visibility in the US market.
On 27 October 2026, the Cathedral Hall at the University Club of Chicago hosted “Milano & Leonardo”, a tourism promotion event dedicated to showcasing the historical, artistic and cultural heritage of the Lombardy capital and the travel opportunities offered by the destination.
The initiative, organised with the support of ENIT USA, in collaboration with the Municipality of Milan and the Consulate General of Italy in Chicago, attracted 80 tourism professionals, including tour operators, travel advisors and representatives of the specialist travel media.
The event provided an opportunity for promotion and dialogue with US tourism professionals, with the aim of consolidating Milan’s positioning as an international tourism destination characterised by an integrated offering encompassing culture, art, fashion, design, innovation, food and wine.
Leonardo da Vinci’s heritage as a distinctive element of Milan’s tourism offering
The event programme focused on the historic connection between Milan and Leonardo da Vinci, who lived in the Lombardy capital for an extended period and left behind an artistic, scientific and cultural legacy of international significance.
Leonardo’s legacy is one of the defining elements of the city’s identity and represents a strategic asset for the enhancement of its cultural tourism offering.
Among the main places of interest are Leonardo’s Last Supper, housed in the complex of Santa Maria delle Grazie, the Sforza Castle, home to the Sala delle Asse, and the Ambrosiana Library, which houses the Codex Atlanticus.
The presentation also highlighted the connection between Milan’s cultural tradition and the city’s contemporary vocation in the fields of creativity, fashion, design, research and innovation.
Promoting Milan and destinations across the region
The presentation showcased Milan’s main tourism attractions, with particular attention to the diversification of travel experiences and opportunities to develop itineraries tailored to the US market.
From the Duomo to the Sforza Castle, from La Scala Theatre to the Fashion District, and on to the Navigli, the city’s tourism offering is distinguished by a significant cultural and architectural heritage, complemented by experiences linked to shopping, gastronomy and the Italian lifestyle.
This approach makes it possible to promote a diversified tourism offering, encouraging the development of themed and multi-destination itineraries and contributing to the promotion of Lombardy’s cultural, scenic and food-and-wine excellence.
Engagement with US tourism professionals and new opportunities for collaboration
The event included meetings and networking opportunities between representatives of ENIT USA, the Municipality of Milan and the participating tourism professionals, aimed at deepening their knowledge of the destination and identifying potential opportunities for commercial collaboration.
Direct engagement with tour operators and travel advisors provided an opportunity to present the potential of Milan’s tourism offering and explore the development of itineraries and travel packages tailored to the needs of US travellers.
The participation of specialist travel media also helped strengthen opportunities to increase the destination’s visibility among key industry audiences.
The initiative forms part of the international promotional activities supported by ENIT, aimed at enhancing Italy’s tourism offering in international markets, strengthening relationships with tourism industry operators and supporting the development of new opportunities for the commercialisation of Italian destinations.