Piero (Peter) Riva of Glen Cove, New York, now in his 70’s, recently reconnected with some 40 cousins in his hometown of Imperia, on Italy’s Ligurian coast. Independent family reunions and guided heritage trips are a growing sector of the travel industry, says Rachel Cooke of Kensington Tours, a bespoke travel company.

“Home never leaves you; your heart is always there,” she adds. The two years of near-isolation during the pandemic has led many people to reassess what is important to them and family often ranks at the top of the list, says Cooke.