Innovazione

🏕️ Saxony, Italy, sees a 15.6% increase in overnight stays by Italian tourists in 2024 compared to the previous year. The region recorded 8.1 million arrivals (+2.7% from 2023) and 19.9 million overnight stays (+0.6%). Dresden and Leipzig are key attractions, along with the European Football Championships and cultural routes in Saxon Switzerland, Elbe Valley, and Ore Mountains. Foreign tourists accounted for 952,140 arrivals and 2,176,619 overnight stays, 8% of the total. Notable growth from the Netherlands (+16%), the United States (+13.4%), and the Czech Republic (+12.5%). Saxony's tourism strategies are affirmed by the growth despite a slight decrease in German overnight stays (-0.2%). Looking ahead to 2025, Chemnitz's selection as the European Capital of Culture is poised to further boost tourism.

💳 Antonio Di Berardino, country manager of Dojo in Italy, aims to speed up payment times and simplify daily operations for those in the experience economy. Dojo, a UK-originated Paymentsense brand, serves the hospitality and restaurant sectors with innovative, multi-cloud payment solutions. As of 2024, Dojo boasts 150,000 customers across Italy, the UK, Ireland, and Spain with an annual transaction volume of €43 billion. Their cloud-based system is adaptable, featuring 4G and Wi-Fi connectivity, pre-configured terminals, and a multilingual call center that resolves 90% of issues within 16 seconds. After establishing a European legal headquarters in Ireland, Dojo expanded to Spain in May 2024 and Italy in October. The Italian team has a Milanese HQ, 14 staff members, and a 40-person sales force. Dojo has recently entered the rent-a-car sector and is exploring new markets.

📍 easyJet leverages trade communication, digital campaigns, and competitive pricing to promote new "remedies" routes from Milan Linate, where business segment accounts for 30% of sales, and Rome Fiumicino. Lorenzo Lagorio, the country manager for easyJet in Italy, highlights the strategic importance of flights from both hubs to Frankfurt and Brussels, offering competitive prices against legacy carriers. By 2025, easyJet plans to offer 20 million seats in Italy, focusing on bleisure opportunities and expanding to medium-long haul destinations, including Egypt, Morocco, Israel, and Jordan. Their sustainable flight operations include the use of SAF fuels, new Airbus Neo aircraft, and AI-driven route optimization and customer care acceleration.

☕ MUMAC, the Coffee Machine Museum of Cimbali Group, celebrates Faema's 80th anniversary with "FAEMA 80x80" exhibition during Milano MuseoCity 2025, starting March. A collection of 80 images, one for each year, will be displayed, showcasing the brand's heritage. The exhibition includes a special event on March 7 at Cimbali Group's Flagship Store in Milan, with a roundtable and comic-themed coffee illustrations. Visitors can also preview "Sfogliando Caffè Club," a historic bimonthly publication, with free admission at MUMAC on March 4, 6, and a special opening on March 9. The museum, which opened in 2012, houses over 100 coffee machines and a vast archive documenting more than 100 years of coffee machine history.

🏬 Luigi Cantamessa, Director General of Fondazione Fs Italiane, announced the planned 2026 reopening of Europe's southernmost station, Pachino, subject to unforeseen events. The foundation, operational since 2013 and backed by Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, RFI, and Trenitalia, aims to protect and pass on Italy's railway heritage. Restored the Museo nazionale ferroviario di Pietrarsa near Naples in 2017 and selected Milan, La Spezia, and Pistoia for historic rolling stock depots. Secured €435 million from the Ministry of Culture's national complementary plan to the Pnrr. Over 1000 km of disused lines have been reopened, including the Noto-Pachino line featuring a new environmentally integrated station at Vendicari oasis.

📈 Ambasciatori del Gusto participate in FUTURA 2025, a key event for the Italian gastronomic sector, focusing on technology and artificial intelligence's impact on the future of food and dining. Supported by Regione Lombardia and Comune di Milano, the event features sector experts, professionals, and technological leaders in enogastronomy. Keynote speakers include On. Mirco Carloni, Alessandro Beduschi, Umberto Callegari, Stefano Bolis, and more. Partners include Fondazione Fiera Milano, Grana Padano, GDF Hotel, and Luxury Food&Beverage Magazine. Details about the Ambasciatori del Gusto's involvement in tasting sessions will be released soon.

📖 Fiavet Toscana-Confcommercio organizes ongoing training programs, including courses on Tik Tok marketing, communication strategies, AI in travel, storytelling, social media marketing (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), accounting for travel agencies, GDS and ticketing. President Pier Carlo Testa emphasizes enhancing travel agents' consultancy skills for a competitive edge. Courses, supported by the Ente bilaterale del Turismo Toscana, are free for members and scheduled in low season to avoid work interference.

🏖️ Italy's Ministry of Tourism received 112 applications for training grants, indicating a sector need for professional growth. The national call for tourist guides approaches 20,000 applications. Minister Daniela Santanchè highlighted this as proof of the tourism industry's need for new growth and innovation tools. Specifically, 38 applications were for the "Fund to Increase Professional Level in Tourism" and 74 for the creation of a National Strategic Polo for High-Level Tourism Training. For more details, visit www.ministeroturismo.gov.it.

🍺 At Beer&Food Attraction 2025, Birra Peroni showcased its premium offerings including Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0, in partnership with Scuderia Ferrari, and Peroni Nastro Azzurro Stile Capri. Sales Director Andrea Tortella highlighted Raffo Lavorazione Grezza's 2024 launch as significant, contributing to a successful year. The Gran Riserva line debuted a new 33 cl format and updated graphics, emphasizing Birra Peroni's commitment to innovation and quality.

🍕 Menù, a historic company in Medolla (MO), specializes in food specialties for catering and introduces Grancrema alla Carbonara, which uses high-quality ingredients including Pecorino Romano DOP, Italian egg yolks, and black pepper. Perfect for many dishes, it maintains its organoleptic qualities through aseptic technology. Romolo Barbieri founded Menù in 1941 with "Ragù Tutto," and today, the company offers 90 varieties of sauces, creams, and condiments that embrace Italian culinary tradition and innovation.