Conferenze e Fiere

📍 China Eastern expands into Europe with two new routes to Italy: Shanghai to Venice and Xi'an to Milan, starting September. The airline will double its connections to Italy, adding to its existing Rome flights. Flights will operate thrice weekly using A330s; Milan route is a pre-pandemic reestablishment, Venice a new addition.

📍 China Eastern expands in Europe, introducing two new routes to Italy starting next September: Shanghai Pudong to Venice, and Xi'an Xianyang to Milan Malpensa. The A330 fleet will operate these routes with three weekly frequencies. Milan had a brief pre-pandemic service, while Venice is a new destination for the airline.

🏖️ Bluvacanze's summer season review reveals a split between early bookers and last-minute deal seekers, with 20% of the market still undecided. The trend reflects a shift to off-peak vacationing due to high prices, continuing since at least 2022. Cruises lead holiday preferences, followed by Italian beaches and Greece; Mediterranean destinations outpace the Red Sea. Italian ranking: Sardinia, Sicily, Puglia, Calabria, Tuscany. Top European cities: Paris, Madrid, Lisbon, with London and Prague for short breaks. Long-haul favorites: Maldives, Zanzibar, Caribbean, notably the Dominican Republic for all-inclusive packages.

🏖️ Summer 2024 witnesses the emergence of new tourist clusters identified by Italy's Coastal Destinations Observatory (Osservatorio Jfc delle Destinazioni Balneari Italiane). Notable clusters include "Boomerang Kk" (18-28 years old) vacationing with parents who pay for everything; "Affection Seekers" (couples aged 35-45) creating family memories; "Solo But Not Alone" singles aged 24-36 seeking social interactions; "Bike Addicted" multigenerational families with at least one member over 60 exploring inland on electric bikes; Italians under 30 or over 60 visiting famous but less crowded beach destinations, mainly in September, October, and May; event-driven travelers with an average stay of 2.1 nights and attending 4.3 events between June and September; and those aged 36-48 visiting places from their youth or their parents' origin for an average of 12.5 days. Additionally, Italians aged 35-55 look for special offers and last-minute deals, potentially increasing travel to foreign economy destinations; and spontaneous vacationers aged 24-32 aim to disconnect from their digital chains. More information is available at www.jfc.it.

🛍 In July 2024, Vicolungo and Castel Guelfo The Style Outlets will offer weekends packed with shopping, sports, and entertainment. Activities are scheduled for the weekends of July 20 and 27 at Vicolungo, and July 20 and August 3 at Castel Guelfo, where visitors can participate in sports and shopping to win a prize from The Style Outlets. Highlights include the Sanremo Giovani 2025 super finale, the Mail Art Pop ‘IN VERTICALE’ exhibition, and 'Impiatto Forte' featuring Chef Antonino Cannavacciuolo. Full event details are available at thestyleoutlets.it.

🌍 Copenaghen has launched the "CopenPay" program starting from July 15, rewarding tourists who act responsibly with free lunches, coffee, wine, museum entries, or kayak rentals. To qualify as 'virtuous tourists', visitors must recycle waste and use bicycles or public transport. The initiative includes 24 city attractions and venues, runs until August 11, and operates on an honor system, occasionally requiring photos or bus tickets as proof.

✈ Air Haifa expects its first ATR 72-600 aircraft with 72 seats by end of July, from Toulouse-Blagnac to Haifa International Airport. The airline, awaiting Israeli Civil Aviation Authority operational license, plans to start ticket sales and flights from Haifa by September. It will operate flights between Haifa and Eilat, and to Eastern Mediterranean destinations in Cyprus and Greece. Founded by notable figures like Nir Zuk and former El Al CEO Gonen Usishkin, Air Haifa is the first Israeli airline established since the 1990s with a base at Haifa International Airport.

✈ Wizz Air expands at Trieste, opening bookings for a new flight to Bucharest starting October 29, operating Tuesdays and Saturdays. Flights from Bucharest arrive at 14:55 and depart Trieste at 15:30, serviced by a 230-seat Airbus A321.

🚉 From July 19 to August 6, 2024, Milan's M4 metro line's last closed stations will undergo final technical tests before the official inauguration. This 19-day suspension will expand the line from 8 to 21 stops. During this period, metro service will be replaced by buses, with night buses NM4 operating after hours.

📃 Inaugurated in Beijing, the visa application center managed by VFS Global doubles as a cultural exchange spot where travelers can gain in-depth knowledge of Italy. Italian consulates in China issued over 120,000 visas in the first half of 2024, a 130% increase from 2023. The center commemorates Marco Polo, highlighting the historical Italy-China cultural exchange. VFS Global's COO for Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Mongolia, Kishen Singh, emphasizes the center's role in promoting cultural exchanges.