TOP NEWS

📈 Unox, a Padova-based leader in professional oven design and sales, saw a 16% increase in turnover to €240 million in the first 9 months of 2024 over the same period in 2023. The third quarter alone brought €85 million, up 28% from the previous year. Order portfolio grew 24% to €245 million during the same timeframe. Anticipated 2024 year-end turnover exceeds €330 million, a growth of around 18% from 2023. Unox was recognized in the "Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For in Europe™," awarded by Great Place To Work® and Fortune Europe, and received the Best Managed Company 2024 Italy award from Deloitte Private for the third consecutive year. The company inaugurated an Experience Center in Dubai in September, spanning over 400 sq meters. Unox's workforce has surpassed 1300 employees globally, with most based at the Padova headquarters.

🏨 ROSS1000, a central platform established by Italy's Ministry of Tourism, is utilized by over 70% of accommodation providers in Italy to standardize tourism data collection and management, ensuring compliance with regional and national reporting requirements. Albergatori can automate data collection and reporting, reducing manual errors and ensuring compliance with legal obligations, thanks to integration with Chekin and Alloggiati Web. Chekin notably reduces administrative tasks, allowing hotel staff to focus on guest experience improvements.

🛌 In 2023, the Italian hotel sector recorded a historic high of 224,026 employees on average, peaking at 313,506 in July. This is a significant rise from the previous peak of 210,132 in 2019. The workforce is diverse, with nearly half being young people, 52.8% women, and 30.8% foreigners, with 41% of foreign workers in the Northeast. The average age of employees is 40, with 77% in full-time roles. Seasonal workers outnumber permanent staff, with 107,501 seasonal workers (48%) compared to 75,961 permanent employees (33.9%). Part-time workers account for 23% of the workforce. Trentino-Alto Adige leads in employment with 33,440 hotel workers, followed by Lombardy and Veneto. Bolzano has the highest number of hotel workers (23,406), surpassing Rome and Milan.

🌍 India and China emerge as key players in the global tourism landscape, with Indian travelers spending an average of $1,200 per international trip. The Chinese tourism market anticipates 130 million outbound trips by year-end post-pandemic. At the Global Summit of the World Travel and Tourism Council, trends such as entertainment-led travel, eco-sustainability, and a growing senior segment were highlighted, alongside challenges like visa complexities and the demand for direct flights. Indian vacationers draw travel inspiration from social profiles (76%) and entertainment (57%), favoring destinations like Dubai, Thailand, Indonesia, and the USA, which saw nearly a million Indian visitors in the first five months of 2024. Catering to these new segments requires understanding their expectations, offering personalized, sustainable, and technologically enhanced experiences.

🏡 In Italy, luxury hospitality is thriving with 75% foreign clients. The country has 32,000 hospitality structures, of which 710 are luxury, with a 24-unit increase from 2023. Tuscany leads with 91 luxury venues, while Rome tops the cities with 5,347 high-end hotel rooms. The luxury segment, representing 2% of total structures, expects a revenue of €6.6 billion in 2023, 26% of the sector's turnover. Each 5-star room may generate €144,000 annually with a 24.4% EBITDA.

🌏 True Puglia 2024, ended its third edition, brought 50 luxury tourism buyers to the Puglia region. Luigi De Santis, the event's founder, is already planning future editions. The event focused on authentic experiences and included B2B meetings exploring new markets such as the USA, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Australia, and Japan. True Puglia has grown since 2022, and Pugliapromozione has been a partner since its inception. Next year, the event aims to expand to Sicily and the Dolomites.

📍 UNItalk cycle begins on October 22 at 16:30 at the University of Rome Three, aiming to devise strategies for enhancing Rome's attractiveness and developing new tourism offers. The event titled "From urban regeneration to the development of new tourism areas" includes stakeholders and officials like Giuseppe Biazzo, Giuseppe De Martino, Maurizio Veloccia, and others discussing urban projects and international best practices for revitalizing specific Rome areas. The meeting, moderated by Loris Gai of RAI, is held at the Department of Architecture and requires online registration.

💰 In Milan on October 8, 2024, studies by Global Blue and Agility Research & Strategy show 19,000 Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals (UHNWI) spent over €70,000 each on Tax Free Shopping between September 2023 and August 2024. They represent 0.1% of Tax Free shoppers but account for 13% of total spend, averaging €160,000 per shopper. UHNWI segment grew by 33% since 2019, and their spending increased by 26% post-pandemic. 56% visited Europe, 21% Asia, and 23% both, with France and Italy being top destinations. UHNWIs tend to be repeat shoppers, 23% compared to 7% of general shoppers. They purchased nine brands on average, with two brands receiving 75% of their Tax Free sales. By 2027, a 38% increase in ultra-rich is expected, particularly among Americans, Chinese, British, and Indians. Indian UHNWIs (90%) anticipate growing their expenditure the most, and at least 50% of UHNWIs are part of VIP/VIC programs, with the highest participation by Britons (78%). Indian UHNWIs (95%), followed by Britons (88%), show a high propensity for international travel in the next 12 months.

💰 La Bottega Group acquired the entirety of Palatino Hospitality's capital, which reinvested part of the proceeds into La Bottega Holding, securing a minority stake. This marks La Bottega's third M&A operation in the last year, following acquisitions of Vanity Group and Beltrami, and is a key part of its 'buy and build' strategy aimed at setting a unique standard in the luxury hospitality industry. La Bottega and Palatino will now join forces to provide an integrated solution for upscale hotels worldwide.

🏖️ Basilicata, Italy, witnessed a 60% increase in international arrivals for the summer season compared to 2019. Antonio Nicoletti, the director of the regional Tourist Promotion Company, highlighted a robust framework and a new perspective for local operators. Efforts in destagionalization aim for year-round tourism, as reported by ansa.it.