TOP NEWS

💍 In 2024, Italy is set to host over 12,000 international couple weddings, an 8% increase with 1,200 more events than previous years. A quarter of foreign couples worldwide choose Italy for their destination wedding, with British couples making up 25.7%. Symbolic ceremonies account for 63%, often held in villas (40%) or historic homes, castles, and farms (34%). Seasonality peaks in spring and autumn, but shoulder periods are gaining popularity to ease tourism congestion. Northern Italy hosts 34% of foreign weddings, central regions 35%, and southern regions plus islands 31%. Average wedding budgets soared from €35,000 in 2018 to €59,000, with expenses focused on food and beverage (35%), location (21%), hospitality (17%), and ancillary services (27%). In 2023, these weddings resulted in 826,000 arrivals, 2.4 million overnight stays, and exceeded €800 million in revenue, a significant rise from €520 million five years ago. Most events have 50-100 guests. Emerging trends include vineyard weddings (12%) and "green weddings" (16%). A clear boost in the sector could see revenues hitting €1 billion.

🏖️ Italy's high-end sustainable tourism marked 215 million tourist presences and a spend of €62 billion. In August, foreign visitors accounted for 40 million presences and over €6.5 billion in turnover. Luxury tourism comprises a quarter of the country's total tourism expenditure (around €25 billion) and reaches €170 billion in Europe, with an unexpressed potential of up to €520 billion as per Eccia. Wellness tourism thrives with a projected annual growth rate of 16.6% until 2027, totaling a market value of $1 trillion globally, €285 billion in Europe, and $16 billion in Italy. Italy's wellness industry saw growth from $7.5 billion in 2020 to $15.7 billion in 2022, a 45% annual increase. Cyclotourism surged to 7.5 million biking tourists in 2023, generating €9.4 billion, up from 6.3 million bikers and €7.4 billion in 2022, growing 30-35% annually.

📅 Expedia Group's "Unpack ’25 Report" reveals travel trends for 2025, highlighting a 63% interest in "detour destinations" like Reims, Brescia, and Cozumel. Travel souvenirs shift to local foods, with 44% bringing home edible items. Gen Z prefers all-inclusive resorts, with 42% favoring them. Positive hotel dining reviews on Hotels(.com) increased by 40% year-on-year. Jomo-style travel gains popularity, with a focus on private rural vacation homes for natural phenomena, with 61% wanting to witness the aurora borealis. Set-jetting, influenced by shows like "Emily in Paris," sees a 30% rise in Dubai interest. Half of consumers admit social media impacts travel desires, with complexity deterring bookings. 📅

🏖 Between 2019 and 2023, Italy's inner areas saw a tourist arrival growth of 6.9%, outpacing the country's average of 1.3%, with tourists staying an average of 4 nights instead of 3. The Via Appia, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, is at the heart of a new tourism project involving 89 municipalities across Lazio, Campania, Basilicata, and Puglia. Targeting millennials (46.4%), graduates (52.4%) with good spending capacity, the project aims to attract tourists interested in sustainability and environmental heritage. International visitors, up by 45% in 2023, are drawn to the country's historical and artistic heritage and sustainable tourism offerings.

📆 HostMilano's 44th edition will take place at Fieramilano - Rho from October 17 to 21, 2025, with over 1,200 exhibitors, 40% international from 43 countries. Visitors include buyers from 75 countries. Global market value for sectors represented at HostMilano in 2023 was €234.4 billion, with a CAGR of +5.1% expected from 2020 to 2023. International trades valued at €177 billion are projected to reach €216.3 billion by 2027. World Barista Championship™ will return to Milan during Host 2025, highlighting the coffee segment. The event also focuses on the bakery sector, integrating MIPPP – Milano Pane Pizza Pasta and SIPAN consortium. The seventh edition of Smart Label – Host Innovation Award will be showcased, recognizing sustainable innovation. Road to Host 2025 includes international networking events across America, Europe, Gulf countries, and the Far East.

📅 Ivano Zilio rallied 250 travel agents at the 'Prima Summit' at Galzignano Resort, celebrating 30 years of Primarete Network’s growth. The event marked a positive sales trend, with unprecedented early bookings for 2025. Zilio emphasized the importance of a strong, cohesive distribution force and attracting new generations by showcasing technology proficiency in the travel industry.

🍕 Domenico Rossini's Accademia professionale del gusto hosts the 1° Campionato Mondiale di Pizza Contemporanea in Crispiano (Taranto) on November 26-27. Competitions include various pizza styles and categories: amateur, classic, gourmet, contemporary, Neapolitan, chef, gluten-free, and team. Skills contests feature freestyle (acrobatic pizza), largest pizza diameter, and fastest pizza dough making. Event includes training, tastings, and a dance performance from “In Punta di Piedi” school. Contact: info@accademiaprofessionaledelgusto.it, +39 329 1438241, +39 339 3946563, +39 349 4573770.

📈 Hospitality sector is adapting revenue management strategies to longer summers extending to November and unpredictable winters due to climate change. Maurizio Galli of Formazione Alberghiera emphasizes the integration of climate variability for accurate forecasts, adapting real-time pricing and availability to maintain stable occupancy and competitive pricing. Crucial for success is the blend of automated systems with human experience to respond to sudden climatic changes, ensuring proactive, intelligent offer management. Formazione Alberghiera, founded in Verona in 2018, is a leading hospitality training school in Italy.

🍷 La 33ª edizione del Merano WineFestival iniziata il 17 novembre a Merano include 160 produttori di vini biologici, 130 aziende tra food, spirits e beer, e oltre 1000 espositori con più di 3000 vini in degustazione. La cerimonia di premiazione dei WineHunter Award Platinum, presentata da Maurizio Di Maggio, si è svolta il 17 novembre alle 17.30. Sette personalità del mondo enogastronomico sono state premiate con le WineHunter Stars, tra cui Gianna Nannini e Oscar Farinetti. Il festival comprende 39 masterclass, 32 showcooking e 6 talk, oltre al sostegno al progetto "Un pozzo per la vita" in Africa.

🏠 Over 20% of tourists choose Italy for luxury tourism, spurred by the country's lifestyle. High-end hotels, 4 and 5 stars, surged by 40% since 2018, with 8% and 32% increases respectively. Forecasts by Enit project luxury tourism as one of the fastest-growing segments by 2025, with accommodations set to rise from 682 in 2024 to 712 in 2025. International investors, particularly in areas like Lake Como, Lake Maggiore, and Tuscany, are keen on premium locations and historical properties for advanced digital and sustainable solutions. High-profile guests seek privacy, flexibility, and top-tier services such as starred restaurants, private pools, and panoramic terraces.