Officially launched in January 2025, Vera Italia is a digital platform born in Calabria and founded by Chiara Barbera, an Australian of Italian descent who now lives in Scalea, a small town in the province of Cosenza that overlooks the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Just three months after its launch, the project is already receiving bookings after attracting the attention of those looking for something far from conventional.

“It’s a platform that connects travellers with local people and was created with a specific goal; to talk about traditions and preserve them,” Barbera told Il Globo.

“I want to give voice and visibility to those who every day, with humility, carry forward our culture. Not tourism professionals, but authentic people.”

Chiara Barbera picking olives in Calabria. (Photo: Manuel Mandato)

Born and raised in Brisbane, Barbera is the daughter of Sicilian emigrants. “My grandparents moved from Italy to Australia. I grew up with them, I spoke Italian, we cooked together,” she recalled.

“As a child, I was the slightly ‘strange’ one who spent time with her cousins and did things the Italian way.

“What struck me was how my grandparents managed to keep Italian culture alive for more than sixty years, almost unchanged. It was their way of not forgetting who they were.”

In 2018, the desire to get to know her relatives still living in Italy pushed her to take the big leap and move to the Bel Paese.

Today, she lives in Scalea, the land of her great-grandfather, where she has found cousins and other relatives. “I immediately felt at home. It was the dream of a lifetime,” she revealed.

At the heart of this project are the ordinary people who offer experiences tied to their daily lives. From olive harvesting to breadmaking, cheese crafting and fishing.

“It’s my greatest pride,” explained Barbera, “I talk to these people and together we build the experience. They have to be meaningful moments where those who participate can really understand what lies behind a tradition.

“For example, if you participate in the olive harvest, you’re not simply put to work in the fields. You witness the entire process, you eat together, you enter the home.”

Today, the platform offers over 120 different experiences, all concentrated within a two-hour radius from Scalea, including a part of Basilicata.

Among the options are visits to an organic farm, handmade pasta workshops, classes teaching how to weave baskets with natural materials and excursions with local fishermen who explain traditional fishing techniques.

Tourists can freely choose their own itinerary by accessing the Vera Italia website and browsing by categories or by individual ‘Culture Creators’.

“The format is ‘Choose your own adventure’,” Barbera explained, “You can see who the people are, read their story, explore the activities and book directly.

“The booking goes to the person who will host you, and you can also communicate directly with them via chat. And if needed, the ‘Culture Creators’ are also available to help with transportation.”

Chiara Barbera with two local Culture Creators. (Photo: Manuel Mandato)

To help tourists, the young entrepreneur is also trying to involve a few Italian students learning English. “This way, the young people can practise [their English] and tourists can get help,” she said.

“It’s also a way to help the local community grow.”

Barbera’s approach is also distinguished by her decision not to rely on social media for promotion.

“I am the only startup in 2025 that does not use social media,” she laughed.

“I focus everything on human connections. When I had a stopover in Singapore, I left bookmarks and small cards everywhere. Now I have friends helping me distribute business cards in Australia, Spain and London.”

Word of mouth is proving effective; bookings have arrived and the response from local communities is positive.

“I see enthusiasm among the locals,” she shared, “For many, it’s the first time they’ve been valued for what they’ve always done.

“It’s also a way for them to rediscover the value of their own culture.”

In short, Vera Italia is a tool promoting more conscious tourism that respects local traditions.

“For me, Vera Italia is like opening the door of my home and saying, ‘Come, I’ll show you what our Italy is really like’,” concluded Barbera.