Innovazione

📱 Wizz Air introduces a new smart voice solution for Amelia, its customer service virtual assistant. It enables passengers to receive automated calls with real-time information in case of flight disruptions. Travelers are provided with their flight details and options for rebooking and refunds. Additionally, Amelia will make a follow-up call 30 minutes after the initial contact and offers a live chat option for further assistance.

🚂 FS Italiane Foundation launches a new free mobile app, developed for iOS and Android in collaboration with travel podcast platform Loquis, to engage new generations of travelers. The app features geolocalized podcasts and multimedia content for exploring Italy's 12 railway lines part of the Binario senza Tempo Project, enhancing the cultural richness of Italian railways. The app includes videos, photos, and virtual tours for a historical journey.

✈ Volotea, the Spanish airline, has joined ENAC and IATA's 'One Click Away' program to make booking assistance on flights and at airports easier and reduce architectural barriers. Valeria Rebasti, Volotea's International Market Director, highlights the airline's commitment to making travel accessible to all. ENAC President Gianluigi Di Palma emphasizes the project's synergy in creating inclusive services, aiding disabled passengers, and fostering social opportunities as well as business ventures.

🎮 In 2023, the Tourism sector's direct GDP hit $3.3 trillion, about 3% of the global GDP. The hospitality and restaurant industry's growth has attracted hackers targeting hotel IT systems. The Data Breach Investigations Report 2024 by Verizon Business disclosed over 220 incidents, with 106 confirmed data losses. Cybersecurity is now essential due to sophisticated system intrusions. Ransomware and social engineering make up 35% of the incidents. There's a reduction in digital payment card information breaches from 41% in 2023 to 19%.

🏕️ Access to Cogne, Valle d’Aosta, reopens on Saturday, July 27, after an overcoming flood disaster from June 29-30. The region promotes recovery via short videos on social media and YouTube, emphasizing undamaged localities. Regional Tourism Councilor, Giulio Grosjacques, invites tourists back, highlighting the region's operational readiness. The www.lovevda.it portal is revamped in five languages offering 600 pages and over 2,300 files on summer activities.

🏗️ Italian Exhibition Group (IEG) expands internationally with a strategic partnership with Smart City Business America Institute, planning to organize the SCB-Br Expo and Congress starting in 2025. The event, recognized for promoting smart city development in Brazil, emphasizes technology and innovation for self-sufficient and sustainable urban ecosystems. The first IEG-managed edition will occur on June 3-4, 2025, at the Expo Center Norte in São Paulo, aligning with IEG's acquisitions of MundoGeo and Expo InfraFM. Corrado Peraboni, IEG's CEO, highlights this as a move to strengthen their market presence in Brazil.

📍 The "Viaggio nel turismo del prossimo decennio" report by Randstad Research predicts future tourism professions will focus on digitalization, sustainability, and experiences. In tourism, there are 1.7 million workers, 53.4% with a diploma, 12.9% graduates, and 33.7% with compulsory school education. The sector comprises 73.9% medium-skilled, 17.1% high-skilled, and 9% low-skilled profiles. Emerging roles include destination manager, sustainable tourism expert, workation center manager, glamping manager, virtual travel advisor, experiential guide, olfactory tourism agent, traveler health and safety expert, ecotourism experience manager, and space travel manager. More info at www.randstand.it.

💸 Freenow has integrated Alipay+'s mobile cross-border payment solutions with its taxi travel services in seven European countries: Italy, Spain, Germany, Ireland, France, Greece, and Austria. Alipay+ General Manager in Europe, Pietro Candela, notes the benefits for Asian tourists, especially during the European Football Championship in Germany. Alipay+'s technology allows payments through Alipay (mainland China), AlipayHK (Hong Kong SAR, China), and Touch'n Go eWallet (Malaysia). AlipayHK users also earn personalized rewards for each Freenow ride.

🌎 Ponant has equipped its entire fleet with Starlink internet provided by Marlink, enhancing global guest wifi access. “Le Commandant Charcot” was the first to test Starlink antennas at the North Pole, as part of Ponant's commitment to offer the best connectivity even in remote areas. Starlink improves bandwidth and geographic coverage beyond the main geostationary satellite-managed Vsat network.

🏡 Lindbergh Hotels, represented by VP Marco Filippetti, is attending a roundtable event today at Palazzo Wedekind, Rome, starting 9:30 AM. Topics include new hospitality models and Italian tourism growth. The event features industry leaders like Angelica Corsini, Elisabetta Fabri, and Liliana Comitini. Lindbergh's latest venture, the tech-focused Homie Hotel in Rimini, expands their portfolio to 8 properties, aiming to revolutionize traditional accommodation with a tailored, digital experience.