Distribuzione e Revenue

🏨 Booking.com leads as the top revenue-generating booking channel for Italian hotels for the seventh consecutive year in 2024. Expedia ranks second, according to the Hotel Booking Trends report by SiteMinder. Hotel websites, the third channel, average €476 per booking, surpassing OTAs (€293) and GDS (€348), with an 8% increase from the previous year. Trip.com enters the Top 12, boosted by Asian travelers, particularly from China. Agoda improves its position. The average booking lead time in Italy is 34 days, above the global average of 32 days. One in five online bookings is canceled, precisely 21%, with Canada experiencing the highest cancellation rate at 24%.

📈 On January 30, 2025, the Global Revenue Forum in Milan at the Hotel Melià gathers hospitality experts to discuss market challenges and strategies. Serenissima Informatica, a 40-year technology solutions veteran, features speakers Alessandro Calligaris and Nicolas Ongarato, who presents from 12:35 to 12:55 in Sala 2. The speech covers a Revenue Manager's perfect day using integrated tools (PMS, RMS, Business Intelligence) for data-driven decisions. First 5 registrants via Serenissima Informatica's website get 50% off entry tickets.

💎 In Italy, SiteMinder's report on hotel booking trends shows a shift in tourism seasons beyond summer with international arrivals contributing to year-round appeal. Summer bookings (June-August) still make up 31.68% in 2024, but July and August saw declines of -4% and -1%. May and October bookings increased to 9.39% and 9.15%, respectively, while hotel rates rose, with May and October 2024 averaging €272 and €271 per night, up 5.4% from 2023. International check-ins accounted for 65.24% in 2024, with Germany, France, the UK, and Asia as top markets, and Australia at 13%. Booking.com remained the top revenue channel for Italian hotels in 2024, followed by Expedia and direct bookings.

🚀 Breeze Airways reported its first quarterly operating profit in Q4 2024 since service launch in May 2021. CEO David Neeleman is optimistic about profitability throughout 2025. With over $200 million in revenue and an operating margin above 4% for Q4, the airline's performance was boosted by a strong industry sector and rising airfares. Breeze's fleet includes 33 Airbus A220, featuring 12 first-class seats, 45 extra legroom seats, and 80 standard economy seats. The airline expanded rapidly last year, adding 29 destinations to reach a total of 66.

🛫 Chinese airlines are increasing operations at Madrid Barajas Airport, aiming to make it the main gateway to Europe and a strategic bridge to Latin America. Flights between China and Madrid have surged by 73%, totaling 3,538 in 2024. Five major national airlines have resumed routes from seven Chinese cities including Beijing and Shanghai. Air China runs 12 weekly flights between Beijing and Madrid, with three continuing to São Paulo, Brazil. China Eastern plans to connect Madrid with Buenos Aires. Air Europa has signed a codeshare agreement with Hainan Airlines, leveraging Madrid-Barajas as a European nexus. Japan and South Korea have also reactivated connections with Madrid post-pandemic, with Iberia resuming flights to Tokyo in October 2024, and Korean Air reopening the Seoul-Madrid route.

🍕 Roadhouse, part of the Cremonini Group, opened its 178th Roadhouse Restaurant and the 96th Billy Tacos outlet in Italy in Sardegna, Viale Porto Torres. Sassari's new venues total 500 sqm, with 150 seats plus 50 more in the summer dehor, and have created about 30 jobs for young employees. The R WORLD App has over 2 million users. Roadhouse serves over 11 million customers annually, has 2 million loyalty club members, and employs 3,600 people across all locations.

📖 At Sigep 2025, Brazzale's stand featured over 25 events and demos with international professionals like Iginio Massari and Günther Koerffer, showcasing their appreciation for Brazzale products. The company was honored with a gold medal by Apei for its commitment to product excellence and innovation, including their special butter and milk for ice cream. The Brazzale family business, active since at least 1784, employs about 900 staff, processes 250 million liters of milk annually, produces 35,000 tons of finished products, and exports to over 60 countries. Brazzale is recognized for its significant contributions to the food sector and its innovative, even revolutionary approach to international expansion while maintaining strong local roots.

🏕 In 2024, the EU tourism sector achieved 2.99 billion overnight stays, a 2% increase with 53.4 million more stays than 2023, fueled by international guests. Visitor composition was 48% international and 52% national; 63% stayed in hotels, 24% in holiday homes, and 13% at campsites. Top growth in overnight stays was seen in Luxembourg (22%), Malta (13%), and Latvia (7%). The summer quarter saw 1.2 billion overnight stays, with Spain and Greece contributing to the increase, while France and Italy saw reductions. By October, the EU had 2.7 billion overnight stays, with international visitors' stays up 4.3%. The Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Denmark exceeded pre-pandemic levels, whereas Latvia and Slovakia lagged behind.

💸 Milan hosted the first "Forum China" on January 22, 2025, revealing Chinese spending in Italy at 58% of 2019 levels, with positive expectations for 2025. The Italy-China collaboration, supported by multiple sponsors, involved over 20 speakers. Tax-Free spending by Chinese shoppers globally has recovered to 2019 levels, driven by APAC, with Europe lagging. Italy claims 23% of Chinese spending in Europe, the second highest average spend at €3,520, and the highest air capacity recovery at 138%. Two-thirds of Chinese consumers are Millennials or Gen Z, with Gen Z's spending recovery four times that of other age groups, at 241%. Top spenders, just 3% of shoppers, contribute 35% of Italy's Chinese Tax-Free spending. Luxury brands see an 11% increase in average spend to €3,155, with "Bags and Leather Goods" spiking 72% in spending recovery. In 2025, Chinese tourist traffic and spending recovery are expected to accelerate, with a predicted recovery rate increase of 18 percentage points by Q1. However, tour groups are only at a 45% recovery due to visa restrictions and high travel costs, with improvements expected in the second quarter. Lombardy leads Italy in Tax-Free Shopping, generating 40% of national volumes, with fashion as the most popular category. Global Blue, with 2,

🌍 Baobab expands to Morocco after success in Turkey, with TH Group expecting to exceed 2,000 passengers this year. Morocco, with over 17 million tourists in 2024, offers unique, guaranteed tour packages even for single passengers, confirmed instantly on a B2B platform, combined with low-cost flights from 13 Italian airports. Nearly daily departures are available from cities like Bergamo, Bologna, Catania, Florence, Milan, Naples, Palermo, Pisa, Rome Ciampino and Fiumicino, Turin, Treviso and Venice. Tours start in Marrakech, Casablanca or Fès, lasting a week with two circuits: the classic Imperial Cities and Marrakech with the Sahara. The operator, with nearly €45 million in revenue and over 40,000 customers in 2024, aims for €60 million in 2025. A catalog is online and will be distributed to over 4,000 agencies, with potential co-marketing with Morocco's tourism board.