Distribuzione e Revenue

📈 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.

💸 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,

🏆 Wizz Air set a record in 2024 by transporting nearly 63 million passengers on over 300,000 flights, the highest annual passenger traffic for the airline. In Italy, the carrier flew over 18 million passengers, a 15% increase from the previous year, with more than 90,000 flights. Last year, Wizz Air launched almost 100 new routes and added 34 new aircraft to its fleet, which grew by 15%. For 2025 and early 2026, the airline expects 50 new Airbus A321neo and A321XLRs. Tamara Nikiforova, Wizz Air's corporate communication manager, credits the 20th anniversary success to operational improvements and customer experience investments, including a new Training Center in Rome and plans for further growth in Italy in 2025.

📦 Barbarhouse, founded in 2007 in a small town in Puglia, Italy, has seen a yearly revenue growth of 20% until the COVID period, which significantly boosted demand for their private villas. The company now exclusively manages 1,500 properties across Italy and partners with local operators for around 2,000 more. In 2021, sold nights increased by 73%, followed by a 27% rise in 2022, and a 13% growth in 2023, despite industry stagnation. The year 2024 concluded with a 14% increase in sold nights. Barbarhouse targets 50% of operations through its multilingual reservation center, 45% via OTAs, and aims to involve small travel agencies more by offering them a quality portfolio, with only 5% of current operations handled by travel agencies. They operate two brands: Barbarhouse and 'Perle di Puglia', the latter featuring around 300 luxury properties. The clientele is 65% Italian, with France, Germany, Australia, and the United States as significant international markets, and emerging interest from Eastern Europe.

🌍 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.

🏖️ Tunisia closed the year with $2.3 billion in tourism revenue, a 7.8% increase compared to the previous year. In 2024, international tourist arrivals exceeded 10 million, with arrivals from Italy increasing by over 20%. To sustain growth, Tunisia is investing in infrastructure development, promoting cultural tourism, and diversifying its tourism offerings, focusing on adventure, wellness, and ecotourism. The new international institutional advertising campaign, 'Vivi l’istanTe, vivi la Tunisia,' will launch next spring.

🏖️ After four years, the tourism industry has regained pre-pandemic levels, with over 1.4 billion tourists marking a 99% recovery compared to pre-Covid times and an 11% increase from 2023. The Middle East, Europe, and Africa saw rises of 32%, 1%, and 7% respectively, while the Americas reached 97%. UN Tourism predicts a 3-5% increase in international tourism for 2025, with challenges including high travel costs and fuel price fluctuations.