Tendenze del mercato

🏝 In 2024, Thailand welcomed 268,000 Italian visitors, reaching 98% of the pre-Covid levels of 2019. Marketing manager Sandro Botticelli highlighted the nation's commitment to promoting Thailand as a safe and fascinating destination. New initiatives for 2025 aim to attract more Italian tourists, including targeted promotional campaigns, collaborations with Italian tour operators, and new tourist routes showcasing Thailand's hidden gems.

🍷 The Silicon Valley Bank's 24th annual State of the US Wine Industry Report, released on January 23, indicates a generational shift in wine consumers, with sales expected to close 2024 with a volume decrease of -3% to -1%. Observations show a switch from red to white wines and increased sales of non-alcoholic, low-alcohol white wines, and Prosecco. Baby Boomers, historically the major wine-buying demographic, are declining 2.6 million consumers per year, with a peak loss predicted around 2037 with 4.4 million. The industry needs to target consumers aged 30-45 with specific marketing strategies to balance demand and supply, with significant sales impact anticipated between 2029 and 2031.

🗺 Civitatis, in 2024, witnessed growth in Italian tourist activities, with preferences for cities like New York, Lisbon, Paris, Barcelona, Seville, and Krakow internationally, and Naples, Rome, Florence, Palermo, and Genova domestically. Cultural and historical activities such as tours of Naples underground, Auschwitz and Birkenau excursions, guided visits of Marrakech, and evening boat tours in Budapest were top booked experiences. The platform offered over 90,000 activities and served more than 35 million travelers, solidifying its market position.

🏭 In Piemonte, Italy, regional tourism councilor Marina Chiarelli and Confindustria Turismo Piemonte president Laura Zegna established the first Industrial Tourism committee. The initiative aims to map and promote the region's industrial and manufacturing heritage, including companies like Martini, Lavazza, Borsalino, Gorgonzola, Gancia, and aerospace firms, integrating them into thematic tours coordinated with local tourism agencies. The goal is to combine tradition and innovation to attract global visitors and diversify tourism offerings.

🏖️ In October, Italy's tourism balance of payments surplus stood at €1.9 billion, slightly below that of October 2023. Foreigners spent €4.4 billion in Italy and Italians spent €2.6 billion abroad, both nearly 6% lower year-on-year. Over the three months ending in October 2024, tourism earnings dipped by 0.3% while spending abroad marginally increased by 0.9%. EU countries contributed to a 0.4% decrease in spending by foreign travelers in Italy, whereas Italian spending in EU destinations rose by 5.2%.

📈 The Italian winter job market saw a substantial growth with approximately 16,000 job offers between October and December 2024, marking an 8.4% increase from the previous year. The Tourism and Catering sectors led the surge with a 20% rise, offering over 2,700 opportunities compared to 2,269 in 2023. Commerce, GDO, and Retail sectors also grew by 6.4%, with 13,179 job offers in the same period. Notably, November witnessed a 26% boost in Tourism and Catering job opportunities, indicating a shift in consumer behavior towards pre-Christmas celebrations.

🍕 In 2024, Italy saw 5.12 million kilograms of pizza ordered, with a daily average of over 14,000 kilograms. The highest consumption occurred on Saturdays, with over 1.2 million kilograms annually, especially between 5-7 pm. Traditional toppings like Margherita, Diavola, and Capricciosa remained popular. A record order in Rome consisted of 26 pizzas, totaling €311. Just Eat reported that pizza orders in 2024 could line up for approximately 6,400 kilometers.

📊 Cerved Industry Forecast predicts Italian companies' revenues to grow by +1.2% in 2025 and +1.4% in 2026, a total increase of +1.7% over 2023. This comes after a -0.9% decline in 2024 due to production slowdowns, particularly in fashion and automotive sectors. Upswing attributed to stronger household incomes, slowing inflation, and expansive European monetary policy. U.S. trade policy uncertainty poses a threat to Made in Italy products like mineral water, olive oil, and prosecco, with the U.S. being the largest importer. Worst-case scenario includes further revenue declines of -1.1% in 2025 and -0.5% in 2026. Information and communication sectors project a +12.95% growth from 2023, tourism and catering +9.17%, with top sector performances in aircrafts (+28.79%), air transport (+25.78%), and rail transport (+21.92%). A new EU-Mercosur trade agreement signed in December, potentially eliminating 90% of trade tariffs, could affect Italy's positive trade balance of 856 million euros with Mercosur countries.

☕ - Expert Francesco Costanzo advocates for brewing method over espresso for specialty coffee, highlighting enhanced flavor and complexity. Brewing techniques like pour-over and French Press allow for a tailored experience. Italian consumer preference is shifting towards brewing due to unpleasant acidity in espresso-extracted specialty coffee. Brewing is seen as a 'slow coffee' sensory experience, potentially increasing specialty coffee consumption beyond the current 10%. Mauro Illiano, another expert, supports these views, emphasizing brewing's capability to highlight unique coffee profiles and offer a 'meditative' experience distinct from the daily espresso ritual.

💰 In Italia, over 55s contribute 54% to FMCG spending with an average expense of €4,700 per shopper, surpassing younger families' €3,900. Over 40% of mature individuals financially support adult children, with 42% purchasing FMCG for grandchildren and 13% for childless adult children. Research by YouGov highlights the significant economic and social role of shoppers over 55. Preferences include quality over price, Italian and local products, and sustainability, with eco-dismissers at 18.8%. The study identifies five consumer profiles with varying spending behaviors, with "Nonni spesa e cucina" accounting for the highest spend per shopper at €5,061.