TOP NEWS

🏝 In November, Italy is preparing for the G7 Tourism in Florence with the aim to reclaim its leadership in international tourism. The Minister of Tourism, Daniela Santanchè, highlighted the importance of investing resources from the Pnrr and launching a new call for funding focused on energy efficiency, sustainability, and modernization. She emphasized expanding the hotel network, improving services, quality, and training, and concentrating on conference tourism and unique cultural and gastronomic experiences. Additionally, a study by Google Italia and Deloitte forecasts the impact of AI on global travel flows up to 2040, noting the strategic role of AI in enhancing the adaptability and competitiveness of the Italian hospitality industry, which boasts over 32,000 establishments and one million rooms - the largest in Europe.

🏨 Intesa Sanpaolo has allocated €10 billion for the requalification of Italian hotels, digitalization, and energy independence initiatives, part of a larger €120 billion funding until 2026 within the 'Il futuro è la nostra impresa' program. €3 billion is specifically earmarked for businesses in Southern Italy, aiming at a sustainable competitive transition and energy efficiency. Tourism in Southern Italy is expected to surpass pre-Covid levels by 2.8% in 2024, with nearly 89 million overnight stays. Last year, 58% of tourists were food and wine enthusiasts, up from 45% in 2019.

🏖️ In 2024, Southern Italy is predicted to fully recover its tourism numbers, surpassing 2019 levels with a 2.8% increase, totaling nearly 89 million overnight stays. International demand is expected to grow by 4.5% from 2023, reaching 105.4% of pre-COVID figures. The region contributes €24.9 billion in value (24% of Italy), with 86.1 million nights (19% of Italy), an average stay of 3.5 days, a seasonal peak of 76.8% in summer months, and 38.9% of foreign presences. Hotel capacity represents 28.8% of Italy's total, rising to 37.9% in 4 and 5-star categories, and 23.1% in non-hotel accommodations. Investments in tourism businesses over the last three years were made by approximately 77% of enterprises in Southern Italy (76% in Italy), focusing on service quality and sustainability, with a current investment estimate of €300 million and a projected 2% increase in the next three years.

🏠 In Italy, hotel stays dominated tourism with a projected 476.7 million in 2024, up 6% annually, while non-hotel accommodations also rose. Summer 2023 saw a 5% increase in short-term rentals, with fees up by 4% from 2022, and an 8% growth expected in 2024. European investments in the sector reached €16 billion in 2023, up 8.5%, while Italy saw €1.4 billion, despite a decline. Globally, over 1,400 deals exceeded €47 billion in 2023, down 35% from €72 billion in 2022. Italy's hotel real estate turnover decreased by approximately 14% to €3 billion in 2023. National investments surpassed international ones, with significant activity from French and UK investors, and over 5,800 rooms affected in 2023. Italy's national occupancy rate exceeded 60%, outperforming 2019 figures.

🏨 After four years of negotiations, a new collective bargaining agreement for tourism workers has been signed, affecting 28,000 companies and approximately 290,000 employees, expanding to 410,000 during the summer. The agreement covers employees in hotels, resorts, campsites, tourist ports, hostels, and more, with the National Collective Labour Contract (CCNL) representing over 81% of the sector's workforce. Effective until December 31, 2027, the agreement includes an immediate salary increase of €70 in July 2024, with a total raise of €200 over four years. Key innovations include updated job classifications, digital skills, wellness roles, and career paths for young workers. Special provisions for women, constituting 55% of the workforce, include enhanced parental leave benefits and extended leave for victims of violence. The contract also addresses term contracts for events like the 2025 Jubilee and the 2026 Winter Olympics, reinternalization of outsourcing, performance-based rewards including customer feedback, and improved healthcare fund contributions.

The 2024 Report on the hotel real estate market highlighted that globally around 1,400 transactions totaled over 47 billion euros in 2023, despite a 35% drop from nearly 72 billion in 2022. European hotel demand growth trends continued, with investments near 16 billion euros (up 8.5% from 2022), while Italy saw investments of 1.4 billion euros, down from 1.7 billion in 2022, with Italian capital outweighing international in the sector for the year.

The Italian seaside tourism sector is expected to see a 7.9% increase in rates for summer 2024, with a decrease of 1.1% in total presences compared to summer 2023, totaling 407 million. Italian presence will fall by 4.4% to 312.5 million, losing 14.5 million compared to 2023, while foreign presence will increase by 11.6%, reaching 94.5 million. Overall turnover for the sector is projected to be €33.2 billion, slightly up by 0.4% from summer 2023, with a 4.2% increase from pre-COVID summer 2019. Domestic clients will contribute €23.7 billion, down by 4.2% from 2023, while foreign client revenue will rise by 14.3% to €9.5 billion.

Intesa Sanpaolo awarded Blastness, an Italian digital hotel development company founded in 2004, with the "Imprese Vincenti" prize for its innovation and sustainable growth. Blastness has achieved record summer booking data in Italy, contending with major online travel agencies and handling over 1 billion euros in revenue for its 1,000 hotel clients in 2023, with a significant increase in bookings and average daily rates in 2024.