Innovazione

📈 Fas International Spa, leading in the automatic retail market, acquires 35% of Alturas Sistemi Srl. The goal of their industrial plan 2025-27 is to reach €70 million in revenue, up from the current €53 million. In 2023, Fas closed with €53 million, a 12.5% increase over 2022's €48.5 million. They foresee a further growth in 2024, aiming to approach €59 million, which is about 11% more than in 2023. They plan to expand geographically, focusing on Northern Europe, France, Poland, Belgium, North America, and Asia.

🛫 Hospitality competition necessitates integrating loyalty programs to maximize guest retention and loyalty. Key features of effective loyalty programs include flexible redemption options, tiered membership, integration with travel services, digital enrollment, and guest preference analytics. Benefits include increased guest loyalty, revenue, valuable data insights, and enhanced brand perception. Successful implementation requires aligning with brand strategy, simplifying enrollment, staff training, utilizing data analytics, and staying responsive to guest feedback and market trends. Technology plays a pivotal role, automating personalized experiences and facilitating service provider partnerships. Creating personalized guest experiences and exceeding expectations are essential for attracting and retaining loyal customers, ultimately leading to long-term brand loyalty and success.

🍷 Portuguese researchers from the University of Bragança filed a patent in 2017 for a natural derivative from male chestnut tree flowers (castanea sativa) as a wine preservative, challenging the traditional use of sulfites (SO₂). The product, named "Chestwine," found favor in 2019 with a consultant for wine producers after successful tests. Marketed by startup "Tree Flowers Solutions," Chestwine is now used in the Spanish and Portuguese markets and is undergoing testing in Bordeaux estates. Chestwine's polyphenolic richness is claimed to be at least as effective as SO₂ in inhibiting oxidation and microbial growth without being allergenic or affecting wine taste or color.

☕ Bianchi Coffee Solutions launches Desia, a new superautomatic espresso machine aiming to improve profitability and simplify operations for out-of-home providers. Made in Italy, Desia caters to offices, B&Bs, conference centers, hotels, and boutiques. It features a traditional espresso or variable chamber option, a 1.3 or 2.3 kg coffee hopper, and up to three containers for soluble products. Desia offers Easy Configuration, Easy Maintenance with simple cleaning components, and Easy Interaction via an 8’’ or 10’’ touch user interface. It also provides competitive pricing to widen its accessibility.

💾 With 20 years in the hospitality industry, Blastness offers evolving tech solutions, including website creation and pay-per-click campaign management for search engines and metasearch engines, aiming to optimize digital market opportunities for hotels. They integrate advanced technologies and artificial intelligence algorithms to enhance their suite of systems, previously exclusive to major international hotel chains. The new dashboard for the Integrated Management System provides an aggregated overview of key hotel KPIs, facilitating quick and precise marketing and revenue management strategies. The Revenue Management System allows for more detailed analyses and forecasts, differentiated pricing for direct and indirect channels, and maximizes distribution channel performance. A new Rate Shopper feature enables in-depth analysis of rate plans and the monitoring of 20 competitors.

✈ Cathay Pacific introduced the new Aria Suite Business class in the Boeing 777-300ER at an event in Hong Kong. The airline has planned a progressive implementation of new flight classes for regional and long-haul routes. Lavinia Lau, chief customer and commercial officer at Cathay Group, announced investment in aircraft, technology, and facilities, aiming to exceed expectations. Nearly 12 billion euros will be invested over the next seven years in the fleet, cabin products, lounges, and digital and sustainability leadership.

✈️ Enac and Sagat signed a new program contract today for Turin airport, covering 2024-2027, focusing on investment plans to optimize the Piedmontese airport's capacity. The interventions include airside projects, like reconfiguring aircraft parking areas, improving walk-in and walk-out boarding paths, and landside projects, such as updating boarding gates, security checkpoints, and accommodating growing passenger traffic. Investments also target security enhancement and energy efficiency of the infrastructure.

📖 The "Guida Ristoranti d'Italia 2025" showcases Italian dining evolution with 2,425 eateries including restaurants, trattorias, wine bars, and bistros—400 are new this year. Niko Romito's Ristorante Reale and Enrico Crippa's Piazza Duomo lead with 97/100. "Tre Forchette" increased to 52 entries, "Tre Gamberi" lists 40 top trattorias, while 11 wine bars received "Tre Bottiglie" and 8 international locales earned "Tre Mappamondi." The guide introduces "Tre Tavole" for bistros, replacing "Cocotte," with 11 top scores. Special awards span multiple categories, emphasizing emerging chefs, innovation, quality-price ratio, and sustainable practices.

🍸 Glenfiddich launched a limited edition whisky, Grand Château, in collaboration with French artist André Saraiva, featuring a 31-year-old spirit aged first in American oak casks then for nine years in Bordeaux red wine barrels. Only 250 limited edition packages designed by Saraiva, reflecting the blend of Speyside and Bordeaux cultures, will be available, adding to Glenfiddich’s Grand Series which includes unique variations such as Grand Yozakura, Grande Couronne, Glenfiddich Grand Cru, Gran Cortes, and Glenfiddich Gran Reserva.