Conferenze e Fiere

🏝 Over 1 million tourists expected in Naples at the beginning of spring, as per Osservatorio del turismo del Comune led by Teresa Amato. Bookings already made for the period from April 20 (Easter Sunday) to May 4, encompassing three holidays in less than two weeks. 260,000 tourists booked for 5 nights from April 20 to April 25 (Liberation Day), with another 160,000 reservations for three nights starting April 20. For the April 25 holiday falling on Friday, 155,000 three-night bookings exist. From April 30 to May 4, 220,000 visitors have reserved, and from May 1 to May 4, there are 160,000 bookings. To accommodate the surge, 15 street Tutors and 5 mobile Infopoints are being deployed.

✈ On March 10, Ver.di union called for a 24-hour strike affecting staff at 11 German airports including Berlin-Brandeburgo, Munich, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Cologne/Bonn, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Hannover, Bremen, Hamburg, and Leipzig-Halle. The strike is expected to disrupt about half a million passengers and approximately a thousand domestic and international flights.

🏖️ Club Med is hiring 480 staff for spring-summer 2025, including 250 positions in Italy, to enhance its teams for the Exclusive Collection and other categories. Recruiting sessions are scheduled in Milan on April 9 and online on April 3, following a February 28 Job Summit in Rome. The company seeks professionals in Hospitality, Cuisine & Catering, Support & Sales, Childcare, Wellness, Sports, and Art & Entertainment, emphasizing soft skills for luxury service roles.

📷 ScuolaZoo offers 'Offline Days' for Gen Z in May and June to disconnect for four days in Tuscany's nature. Available from May 1-4 for adults and June 12-15 for ages 16+, activities include sports, hiking, and group activities like beach volleyball and canoeing. Photos will be captured with analog cameras, not smartphones. Gioele Pollino, project lead, emphasizes the experience over digital connectivity, aiming to encourage voluntary disconnection rather than enforcing rules.

🏖 The 'HighWellness-South Italy' project, led by the Calabria Region, will be officially presented at the 2025 Itb Berlin. Funded by Italy's Ministry of Tourism, it aims to create a network platform for mountain tourism operators in Southern Italy, promoting strategic synergies and an integrated management model. This initiative seeks to enhance the cultural, artistic, natural, and gastronomic heritage of the mountain areas, while also focusing on environmental protection and revitalizing at-risk villages. National Parks of Sila, Pollino, Aspromonte, and the Regional Park of Serre are participating.

🍺 RistorExpo 2025 opened on March 2 at Lariofiere in Erba, running until March 5, featuring over 200 exhibitors and more than 500 brands. The event's theme, "Let's Start with the Smells," highlights the importance of olfaction. Chef Davide Scabin received a Lifetime Achievement Award. Key events include Focus Pizza, tributes to Michelin-starred local restaurants, a Masterschool, the "Scent of Cocktail" contest, and the ABI Professional Interregional Competition. Wine events and local gastronomy are spotlighted, with attention to young talent through the RistorExpo Young Cup involving approximately 200 students.

🎂 Italians are set to spend nearly €220 million on traditional Carnival sweets like frappe, chiacchiere, and struffoli. Coldiretti estimated the economic impact on the food sector, highlighting the success of Campagna Amica's farmers' markets with cooking shows and tastings. Average prices for these treats are around €20 per kilo, reaching €50-60 for some specialties, prompting 37% of families to bake at home. Carnival's sweet tradition dates back to ancient Rome's "frictilia".

🍣 The first Italy Sushi Cup will be held in Vercelli on May 28, organized by Associazione Italiana Ristoratori Giapponesi (AIRG). The winner will compete in the World Sushi Cup 2025 in Tokyo this August. Contestants must have at least 5 years of experience as sushiman, reside and work in Italy, or be Italian nationals abroad, and must hold a Sushi Proficiency Certificate. The competition includes a prep test, a traditional Edomae-sushi arrangement, and a creative sushi composition.

🍽 During a delegation visit from Lombardy to New York, a special event named "Host Region, Home of Excellence" is being held at Eataly - Bar Milano Flatiron. The event features a menu by Chef Roberto Valbuzzi and includes a showcase of Lombard gastronomy, such as Grana Padano cheese, with a pairing of local sparkling wines. The 50 selected guests include industry professionals and specialized press, connecting Lombardy's culinary tradition to the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan and the region's mountains. The program begins at 6:30 PM with registration, followed by institutional greetings and a guided tasting from 7:20 PM to 9:00 PM.

🍻 At Beer&Food Attraction, Fabio Russo interviewed Paolo Molinari, CEO of Casoni Fabbricazione Liquori, an Italian company with over 200 years of tradition in high-quality liquor production. They introduced Gin Tabar London Dry, a new addition to their flavored gin range, honoring Emilian excellence while maintaining traditional gin characteristics. Also presented were the 1814 line's Non-Alcoholic Aperitivo and the "pop" version of Amaro del Ciclista, catering to all palates.