TOP NEWS

💳 In Italy, digital payments with cards saw a 8.6% increase in value to over €223 billion in the first half of 2024, compared to the same period in the previous year. Estimated year-end total is between €465-475 billion, marking a 7-9% growth. Contactless payments accounted for €130 billion, up 23%. Physical stores received €181 billion, with 10% from foreign travelers. Smartphone and wearable payments in proximity registered €19.9 billion, surging by 58%, with transactions exceeding 760 million, a 68% rise. Average receipt value dropped to €42.80. The "Protocollo di intesa" aims to reduce and clarify electronic payment acceptance costs for merchants.

🏖 Human Company, under its hu openair brand, expects to close 2024 with a revenue increase of 11% from 2023 and more than 4 million attendances. Domenico Montano, the company's general manager, highlighted a 48% increase in direct booking revenues, which will account for 81% of the total revenues for this product cluster. Early bookings for 2025 are up 14% compared to the same period in 2023. hu Park Albatros village had over 87% occupancy with peaks of 95% in July and August. hu Altomincio village and Fabulous village had around 85% occupancy, with stays exceeding 6 nights on average. Camping in town properties had a nearly 3-night average stay, with occupancy rates in May of 94% for hu Roma Camping in town, 92% for hu Firenze camping in town, and 85% for hu Venezia camping in town. Italy remains the main market at 24.2%, followed by the Netherlands at 23.9%, Germany at 13%, and Poland at 6%. Dutch guests represent 31% in the village segment, while domestic tourism leads with 25% for camping in town.

🏨 BV Hotels & Resorts unveils new logo and revamped corporate image, underpinned by President Franco Falcone's satisfaction with this season's results. Key focuses include technological innovation, bolstering MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions) sector, and commitment to sustainability. During TTG Travel Experience, operational director Pietro Falcone, General Manager Gianni Gulli, and Commercial Director Emilio Ramundo were present. Gulli emphasized MICE's strategic role, highlighting personalized event services. The group's growth is supported by properties like BV Grand Hotel Assisi, BV Oly Hotel in Rome, BV President Hotel in Rende, and potential low-season events at BV Airone Resort. Rebranding is seen as pivotal for future expansion, aiming to grow the Italian property portfolio. For 2025, Emilio Ramundo aims to consolidate past performance improvements, expects significant sales increases in Rome due to the Jubilee, and to boost foreign tourism and group visits during the off-season. Sustainability remains a priority, with exploration of opportunities in art cities like Milan, Venice, Florence, and potential projects in Puglia, Sicily, and possibly Sardinia.

📈 Antonio Barreca, Vice President of Turismi.ai, addressed the inevitable integration and revolution of professions due to artificial intelligence (AI) at the TTG event in Rimini. Giulio Contini, Director General of the Italian School of Hospitality, and Sara Digesi, CEO of BWH Hotel Italia & Malta, discussed how AI can enhance guest experiences by accurately determining customer preferences and authentic reviews. Massimiliano Schiavon, President of Its Academy Turismo Veneto, believes AI, combined with Italian creativity, can bridge productivity gaps for SMEs. Mirko Lalli, CEO of The Data Appeal Company, emphasized the rapid pace of change in digital marketing, urging immediacy in experimentation and content management for AI training.

🗺 Americans and Swiss are among the top spenders on Italian vacations, as revealed at the TTG Travel Experience by the Politecnico di Milano's Travel Innovation Observatory. In 2023, 52% of Italians took only one holiday, a jump from 36% in 2022, with 75% opting to stay within the country—second only to the 87% of Americans vacationing domestically. Americans spend the most in Italy, averaging €222.9 per day, while motivations for travel vary, with 40% of Italians relaxing, Americans seeking fun and adventure, and Germans and Swiss valuing shopping and sports. Solo travel is more common in the US at 18%, compared to 13% for Swiss and 12% for Germans. Payment in installments is favored by 42% of American travelers, 32% of Swiss, 19% of Germans, and 12% of Italians. Swiss lead in travel insurance uptake at 48%, followed by 47% of Americans, 32% of Germans, and 24% of Italians.

📖 Eleonora Lorenzini from the Politecnico di Milano reports increased tourism market growth with variable speeds across sectors. The hospitality industry faces significant price hikes affecting domestic vacation duration. E-commerce, representing 56% of the overall value, grows less than before while transportation e-commerce accounts for about 70%. Over 50% of Italian travelers now choose flexible rates, and payment installment options are a vital factor in travel service selection.

📍 On October 9, at the TTG Travel Experience in Rimini, the conference "Turismo Italiae, beyond Competition: open dialogues between associations" took place. It was moderated by Edoardo Colombo, President of Turismi.ai and Turismo Italiae. Attendees included Marina Lalli, President of Federturismo Confindustria; Alberto Corti of Confcommercio-Imprese per l’Italia; Carlotta Ferrari, President of Convention Bureau Italia; and Andrea Babbi, President of AS.TU.NA. (Nautical Tourism Association) and Vice President of Fiavet. The goal is to foster the development of the Italian tourism ecosystem, focusing on quality, sustainability, and accessibility. Marina Lalli emphasized the need for associations to work together cohesively and called for industry-wide strategies to overcome seasonality and improve service culture.

🏠 Over half the rooms for October in Italy's hospitality sector have already been sold (58%), with 45% booked for November and December. Airbnb has logged 5 million reservations for Q4 2024. Optimism prevails after a sold-out summer, with 50.9% of operators expecting a balanced 2024 budget, according to Unioncamere – Isnart. Despite a 16% price hike in August, with an average double room rate of €183, 76.2% of Italian accommodations utilize OTAs, accounting for 42% of Q4 bookings. Direct customer relations remain crucial for 30% of clientele.

🏖 Italy's ecommerce for tourism and travel hit over €18 billion in transportation and more than €20 billion in hospitality in 2024, according to the 11th edition of the Travel Innovation Observatory by Politecnico di Milano. Ecommerce accounted for 56% (€21 billion) of the total €37.5 billion hospitality market and 70% (€18.4 billion) of the €26.3 billion transport sector. The travel market's growth rates differed: hospitality grew by 4%, transportation by 10%, and both tour operators (excluding cruises) and travel agencies by 8%. Air transport saw a 12% passenger increase. In contrast to the post-pandemic period, growth was more moderate. Ecommerce in transport outpaced overall sector growth, rising by 12% and reaching 70% market share in 2024, up from 55% in 2019. Almost half of Italian (49%) and two-thirds of foreign tourists choose destinations based on cultural, gastronomic, and outdoor activities, with enogastronomy leading the preferences. Flexible fare usage increased among Italians from 34% in 2022 to 51% in 2024, with 18% of Italians and 36% of Americans prioritizing travel solutions offering payment installment options. Sustainability concerns varied, with 37% of Americans seeking environmental sustainability information before booking, compared to 14% of Italians and

🏖️ Carlo Sangalli, presidente of Confcommercio, emphasized the need for a long-term strategy for Italian tourism at the "Turismo obiettivo 2035" conference. In 2023, tourism generated a net balance of over 26 billion euros, increasing by 2% in the first seven months of 2024. Sangalli highlighted three key pillars for the sector's future: security, sustainability, and choice. He noted that over one-third of tourists, 35%, are willing to pay more for sustainable services, aiming for a sustainable future by 2035.