Innovazione

🎂 Michele Bertagnoli and Rebecca Cortese, young talents from Italy, were recently integrated into the Bauli Pastry Team as part of the Bauli Patisserie Academy's inaugural edition, which concluded weeks ago. The training program, launched in April, was a free initiative by Gruppo Bauli in collaboration with CAST Alimenti. The Academy aims to innovate in pastry product development, focusing on new ingredients, flavors, and sustainable production processes. Bauli S.p.A., founded in 1922, now employs around 1300 people and operates seven production sites.

🍷 Palazzo di Varignana, located in the Bolognese hills, offers a series of wine-centric experiences including grape harvesting, tastings, and guided tours, culminating with the "Cantina in Festa | Speciale Vendemmia" event on September 15. The resort's fine dining restaurant Il Grifone features a special menu by Chef Francesco Manograsso throughout September. Palazzo di Varignana cultivates 57 hectares of vineyards, producing 5 wine labels, with the latest addition being Villa Amagioia Blanc de Blancs Metodo Classico Brut. The enological project began in 2017 with the plantation of local and international vines. Their semi-underground cellar, leveraging concrete and stainless steel vats, ensures the preservation of the grapes' organoleptic properties. Varsana SPA offers a Sangiovese-based facial treatment. Wines are available online at palazzodivarignanafood.com and range from €15.00 to €19.00. The Varignana hills' microclimate and diverse soils contribute to the unique terroir for winemaking.

📱 Riu Hotels & Resorts' new chatbot, Claud·IA, developed with Google Cloud's DialogFlow and Emergya support, will soon be available in Italian, adding to Spanish, English, and German. Juan Campins, VP Digital Channels, highlights the move towards personalized real-time digital experiences. Claud·IA manages 75% of over 1500 daily customer queries instantly, with 73% of customers checking availability completing their booking. Multilingual expansion to French, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, and Chinese is planned.

📱 AI generativa is transforming travel planning, offering recommendations on accommodations, dining, and attractions. However, AI tools have limitations; they reprocess web text without firsthand experience. Chatbots excel at answering complex queries, such as activities for kids on a budget, providing detailed responses based on online information. AI can inspire with unique suggestions, but users should beware of "hallucinations" or errors in the output. It's crucial to cross-check with reliable sources like Google Maps and TripAdvisor before setting out on a journey, ensuring up-to-date and firsthand information.

🎭 MSC Crociere e LEGO form a partnership to transform family vacations with the launch of MSC World America in April 2025. The cruise ship will feature the largest dedicated space for children, spanning over a thousand square meters, and hosting the first-ever sea parade themed on LEGO, complete with an interactive show. The Doremiland area will be the entertainment hub with a variety of technologically advanced activities, including the LEGO Family Game Show, which will challenge families in creativity and teamwork. MSC World America will boast seven distinct districts to offer guests a wide range of experiences.

📱 TikTok has become a key tool for young travelers in planning trips, with 71% of European TikTok users relying on platform advice for booking holidays. Gen Z and Millennials are increasingly using TikTok instead of traditional search engines, with 64% of Gen Z considering it their primary search tool. The platform is influencing the tourism sector, with 'hidden gems' becoming popular yet risking loss of authenticity due to viral exposure. TikTok's impact necessitates tourism operators to adopt innovative digital strategies to meet the demands of modern travelers.

🚠 Swedish company Candela Boats will supply 8 electric ferries, the Candela P-12, to Saudi Arabia for use in Neom's waterways. The 30-seat P-12 is part of a movement towards emission-free transport systems. Candela Boats' CEO Gustav Hasselskog announced the deal, with deliveries expected between 2025 and early 2026. The P-12 will debut in Stockholm in autumn of the current year.

💸 In Switzerland, the National Bank and SIX Swiss Exchange have introduced instant payments, immediately available to approximately 60 financial institutions, covering over 95% of retail payments. All retail institutions will have this option by the end of 2026. The system allows for immediate account-to-account transactions, reducing risks and providing instant funds availability while maintaining the option for traditional transfers. This move potentially paves the way for future payment innovations in Switzerland.

🌊 Amadeus River Cruises will expand its fleet with a new ship, "Amara," in Spring 2025, designed to carry 164 guests on the Danube and Rhine rivers. The Amara will feature 12 balcony suites and 70 standard cabins with panoramic windows, plus an indoor pool. The ship will be capable of navigating shallow waters, equipped with solar panels, and have an autopilot system for fuel saving, as reported by travelweekly.com.

🎮 nhow Berlin introduced two new gaming rooms equipped with advanced PCs and a PlayStation 5, targeting video game enthusiasts and e-sports fans. The rooms were designed in collaboration with SK Gaming to cater to professional and amateur gamers' needs. Christian Friedrich from Minor Hotels Europe & Americas mentioned a synergy between hospitality and e-sports, hinting at more gaming rooms in other nhow Hotels & Resorts locations soon.