Innovazione

🚢 MSC Crociere and Chantiers de l’Atlantique celebrated three milestones for World Class ships: delivery of MSC World America, coin ceremony for MSC World Asia, and steel cutting for MSC World Atlantic. MSC World America, the 23rd fleet unit, will be named on April 9 in the United States at MSC Cruise Terminal in Port Miami. The ship accommodates 6,762 passengers, 2,138 crew members, 2,614 cabins, and over 38,400 square meters of public spaces. Vago, MSC Cruises, highlighted a 20-year collaboration with Chantiers de l’Atlantique, resulting in five prototypes and 19 ships. MSC World America boasts the best IMO energy efficiency rating in the cruise industry. MSC World Asia, entering service in winter 2026-27, will cruise in the Mediterranean. The MSC World Atlantic, starting service in winter 2027-28, will operate Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral.

🏢 Booking.com's 2025 Business Travel Forecast highlights a shift towards sustainability, with rail and road transport favored over air for short distances due to trains being 12 times more environmentally efficient. Post-pandemic trends show a 59% increase in in-person meetings among corporate travel buyers since Q4 2024. AI generative technology is on the rise, offering virtual travel assistants for more efficient trip planning. Tools like Mindtrip and DeepL assist in itinerary creation and real-time modifications, while immersive virtual experiences are replacing photos in hotel selection, with an expected increase in 2025.

💾 BWH Hotels Italia collaborates with Salesforce to digitalize, utilizing the Customer 360 platform for improved data sharing and hotel management. CEO Sara Digiesi highlights the strategic impact on the business, with a data-driven approach to streamline operations and focus on high-value activities. Salesforce's Mirko Spinelli emphasizes the project as a milestone for Italy's hospitality sector innovation, offering customizable dashboards for in-depth analysis and strategic business management.

✈ Airbus aims to launch a new generation single-aisle aircraft in the second half of the 2030s, announced at the Airbus Summit 2025. This future aircraft is expected to improve fuel efficiency by 20-30% and fly with up to 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Bruno Fichefeux, Head of Future Programmes at Airbus, highlighted the advancement with the A321XLR and the exploration of technologies like more efficient engines, long folding wings, lightweight materials, and next-generation batteries for hybrid architectures. The goal is to contribute to the aviation industry's zero-net emissions by 2050.

🛫 Qantas set to revolutionize long-haul flights with Project Sunrise in 2027, offering the first non-stop 'ultra long haul' flights from Sydney to London and New York. CEO Vanessa Hudson announced the service, initially planned for 2025, will start with the arrival of the first of 12 ordered A350-1000 aircraft. Flight durations will vary between 20 to 22 hours. Qantas previously experimented with the Perth-London route, the company's longest until Project Sunrise takes off.

✈ Air Serbia has launched a new Premium check-in area for business class passengers at Nikola Tesla Airport in Belgrade, featuring four dedicated check-in counters and a comfortable seating area to enhance the travel experience by reducing waiting times. CEO Jiri Marek believes the service will be highly valued by business travelers.

🏗️ Milan Design Week, from April 8 to 13, 2025, hosts the 8th edition of dOT-design Outdoor Texture covering over 1000 sqm across San Marco, Brera. Organized by VG crea and EN Space network, it focuses on material research and technology in design, emphasizing the evolution of craftsmanship, tradition, and innovation. Exhibits include site-specific installations, product showcases, and dOT MATERICA, exploring the use of materials in architecture and design. Four design firms to present mono-material microspaces, with a follow-up event at InOut Expo in Rimini, October 2025.

🏡 La Quercetta, a country house near Foligno, enhanced its outdoor spaces with KE's outdoor solutions, creating new convivial areas immersed in Umbria's nature. The project by PMO KE and KE Store Arredocasa involved transforming terraces into versatile, welcoming environments for all seasons. The highlight is the bioclimatic pergola Kedry Prime, which turned into an outdoor dining room with views of the surrounding valley. Integrated LED lighting, Vertika Prime sunblades, Kheope shade sail, Screeny Tens drop-down awnings, and the Qubica Light system were installed to modulate light and provide comfort, ensuring a balance between tradition and innovation.

🌍 Booking.com's "Travel Predictions 2025" emphasizes a shift towards authentic and responsible travel experiences, increasingly aided by AI, such as AI Trip Planner. Baby boomers are seeking adventurous activities like skydiving and Antarctic camping. Airports are becoming a significant part of the travel experience, with some tourists visiting destinations for the airports themselves. Night tourism and wellness-focused accommodations are also emerging trends identified by Matthias Schmid, Senior Vice President of Accommodations at Booking.com.

✈ Virgin Atlantic collaborates with Joby Aviation to offer electric air taxi service to London Heathrow and Manchester airports. Supporting Joby's efforts for certification, Virgin will market the service and advocate for vertical landing areas at airports. The four-seater electric aircraft can cover routes up to 160 kilometers, potentially reducing Heathrow to Canary Wharf travel from 80 to just 8 minutes. Joby, also partnered with Delta following a $60 million investment, plans a UK network with competitive pricing.