Laura Alese - Federturismo Confindustria

🏤 FS Italiane Group announces a new high-speed rail service connecting London and Paris by 2029, with a €1 billion investment part of the 2025-2029 Strategic Plan to extend high-speed links in Europe. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was recently signed with the Spanish consortium Evolyn, led by the Cosmen family. Stefano Antonio Donnarumma, CEO of FS, emphasizes this as a step towards an integrated, competitive, and sustainable European rail network that competes with air travel. The service will operate with trains akin to Italy's Frecciarossa, known for energy efficiency and comfort. The UK's Office of Rail and Road (ORR) confirmed access to the Temple Mills maintenance depot, facilitating a new operator's entry between London and Paris. FS's existing operations in France and the UK through Trenitalia France and Trenitalia UK provide a competitive edge. Technical evaluations for Eurotunnel and railway network integration, as well as operational planning at St. Pancras station, are underway, with funding sources being assessed. The service launch depends on infrastructure completion and technical authorizations, signaling a new era of competition and accessibility in European high-speed rail. With currently over three million passengers served and a 98% satisfaction rate, FS aims to strengthen and expand its network, including a Paris-Marseille connection by June 15, 2025. FS has been present in the UK since

🏔 Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè announced a new €13 million funding initiative for the Apennines during a recent meeting with regional tourism councillors and sector associations. The funds aim to bolster tourism in municipalities within ski areas affected by reduced visitor numbers due to lack of snowfall from November 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024. Stakeholders expressed satisfaction with the results of the first Apennine tender, reflecting effective ministry support and collaboration.

🏖 By the end of 2025, 80% of tourism operators will use Artificial Intelligence (AI), as revealed in the "Scenari e Opportunità nell’era digitale: Innovazione e Turismo 2025" whitepaper, presented by Repower at the GatewAI conference on April 4th in Bergamo. AI adoption in the tourism sector (tour operators, hotels, restaurants) increased by 23% annually between 2020 and 2023. AI is expected to create 400,000 new jobs by 2035, and last year, tourism to small Lombard villages rose by 22%, compared to a 10% increase for larger cities. AI applications in dynamic pricing, language translation, and booking automation are being studied, stressing the need for employee training to keep up with competition.

🏖 From Paris, Italian Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè discussed the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in tourism at the OECD Tourism Committee. She presented ideas for an AI incubator for tourism, led by Italy, to support small and medium-sized enterprises and promote training. Santanchè highlighted the G7 Tourism results from Florence in November, emphasized human-centered technology and sustainable tourism, and mentioned initiatives like Tourism Digital Hub and funded AI-based startups. Italy also participates in European data projects DATES, DEPLOYTOUR, and D3HUB, and calls for regulated online reviews.