The mission will grow opportunities in the transportation and logistics, aerospace and aviation, military and defense, life sciences, and health technologies industries.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - From Monday, November 11, to Friday, November 15, Governor Ron DeSantis will lead an international trade and business development mission to Italy. The delegation will visit Rome, Viareggio, Florence, Turin, and Milan. The delegation will consist of 85 representatives from various Florida industries, including higher education, transportation and logistics, aerospace and aviation, military and defense, hospitals, life sciences, and manufacturing. The trade mission aims to create numerous economic growth opportunities for the state, as Italy is among Florida’s top twenty trade partners internationally, accounting for $4.4 billion in annual bilateral trade. 

“Italy and Florida share a special relationship as peninsular entities with many shared industries, and I was grateful that Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni invited our Florida delegation to visit,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. "This mission will strengthen ties between our state and their nation and bring new and increased opportunities and investments to Florida."

“Next week, Governor Ron DeSantis will embark on a trade mission to Italy to build political and economic relationships to benefit the state of Florida,” said FloridaCommerce Secretary Alex Kelly. “Opportunities for mutual cooperation and growth are plentiful because Italy is Florida’s 14th largest trade partner internationally, and both boast strong military defense, aerospace, marine, life sciences, and health technology industries.”

Florida delegates joining Governor DeSantis on the historic trade mission will include agency heads and university presidents, such as FloridaCommerce Secretary J. Alex Kelly, Space Florida President and CEO Rob Long, Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue, Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Jason Weida, Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd, President Richard McCullough from Florida State University, President Richard Corcoran from New College of Florida, President Rhea Law of the University of South Florida, and representatives from the University of Central Florida, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Florida International University, and Florida Polytechnic University. 

This initiative is coordinated by SelectFlorida, Florida's international commerce organization, in collaboration with FloridaCommerce.

For immediate media inquiries on the trade mission, please reach out to [email protected] or [email protected].