Laura Alese - Federturismo Confindustria

📍 On October 9, at the TTG Travel Experience in Rimini, the conference "Turismo Italiae, beyond Competition: open dialogues between associations" took place. It was moderated by Edoardo Colombo, President of Turismi.ai and Turismo Italiae. Attendees included Marina Lalli, President of Federturismo Confindustria; Alberto Corti of Confcommercio-Imprese per l’Italia; Carlotta Ferrari, President of Convention Bureau Italia; and Andrea Babbi, President of AS.TU.NA. (Nautical Tourism Association) and Vice President of Fiavet. The goal is to foster the development of the Italian tourism ecosystem, focusing on quality, sustainability, and accessibility. Marina Lalli emphasized the need for associations to work together cohesively and called for industry-wide strategies to overcome seasonality and improve service culture.

🏠 Over half the rooms for October in Italy's hospitality sector have already been sold (58%), with 45% booked for November and December. Airbnb has logged 5 million reservations for Q4 2024. Optimism prevails after a sold-out summer, with 50.9% of operators expecting a balanced 2024 budget, according to Unioncamere – Isnart. Despite a 16% price hike in August, with an average double room rate of €183, 76.2% of Italian accommodations utilize OTAs, accounting for 42% of Q4 bookings. Direct customer relations remain crucial for 30% of clientele.

🏖 Italy's ecommerce for tourism and travel hit over €18 billion in transportation and more than €20 billion in hospitality in 2024, according to the 11th edition of the Travel Innovation Observatory by Politecnico di Milano. Ecommerce accounted for 56% (€21 billion) of the total €37.5 billion hospitality market and 70% (€18.4 billion) of the €26.3 billion transport sector. The travel market's growth rates differed: hospitality grew by 4%, transportation by 10%, and both tour operators (excluding cruises) and travel agencies by 8%. Air transport saw a 12% passenger increase. In contrast to the post-pandemic period, growth was more moderate. Ecommerce in transport outpaced overall sector growth, rising by 12% and reaching 70% market share in 2024, up from 55% in 2019. Almost half of Italian (49%) and two-thirds of foreign tourists choose destinations based on cultural, gastronomic, and outdoor activities, with enogastronomy leading the preferences. Flexible fare usage increased among Italians from 34% in 2022 to 51% in 2024, with 18% of Italians and 36% of Americans prioritizing travel solutions offering payment installment options. Sustainability concerns varied, with 37% of Americans seeking environmental sustainability information before booking, compared to 14% of Italians and