TOP NEWS

🏖️ In 10 years, holidaymakers choosing June or September for vacations tripled to nearly 15 million, with June tourists increasing from 2.5 to 6.8 million and those in September from 3.8 to 8 million. Agritourism in Italy saw over 11 million stays in 26,000 facilities in summer 2024, supported by wine, beer, and olive oil tourism trends. Eco-holidays doubled to 25% in a decade. Coldiretti/Ixè analysis shows Italy's agritourism businesses nearly doubled since 2014 (+84%) to 25,849, with a production value of €1.5 billion and 15.5 million presences in 2023, 58% foreigners. Average stay is 3.8 days, with foreigners staying longer (4.6 days) than Italians (3.1 days). Italians spend approximately €10 billion on food during holidays, and "root tourism" affects 60%, highlighting family origins and combating depopulation.

🏥 Wizzair invested €38 million in a new 2500 square meter Training Center at Leonardo da Vinci airport in Fiumicino, 6 minutes walk from Terminal 1. Two simulators are already installed, a third to arrive by 2025. The facility can train up to 150 pilots daily on high-tech machines simulating A320 aircraft. The center aims to expand training to crews and maintenance sectors. Marco Troncone, CEO of Adr, notes the demand for over half a million new pilots globally, with 150,000 in Europe.

🌍 In Italy, 56% of couples express a desire for solo vacations to avoid family arguments and have travel freedom, with 56% of divorced individuals echoing this sentiment. Scotland's west coast (51%), Reykjavik (45%), and Osaka (34%) are top destinations. Men (66%) are more likely than women (61%) to plan solo trips, especially following a breakup (25% vs. 22%). Over 1 in 7 Italians prefer more luxurious holidays than their peers, with 29% willing to spend over €1000 on a solo trip, favoring a one-week duration (41%). B&Bs are the accommodation of choice for 34%, while competitive flight deals (50%) and easy booking (34%) are key for travel planning.

🏖 Garibaldi Hotels experienced a significant growth during the April-October period in 2024, with a 15% increase in revenue in Sicily, 7-8% growth in Sardinia, and over 10% in mountain regions. Despite the Italian market slowdown, particularly in the mid-season's five weeks, the trend reversed in September and October. General Manager Fabrizio Prete highlighted the substantial contribution from foreign clientele to the company's success, noting that by August 30, revenue had already surpassed the total for the same period in 2023, with approximately 50 selling days remaining.

🏖️ In the first two quadrimesters of 2024, the tourism sector grew internationally, with experiential travel expected to exceed a market size of $1 trillion by 2025. The "State of Travel 2024" report by Skift highlights three key trends: the rise of experiential journeys, with consumers prioritizing unique experiences; the impact of social media on direct bookings, with 51% reporting an increase and 34% of younger travelers willing to book through platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube; and loyalty programs facing challenges, particularly with only 9% of Gen Z and Millennials engaging with them, indicating a shift towards flexibility and personalization.

🚧 Tourism workers protest for contract renewal on Tuesday between 10 am and 12 pm, organized by unions Filcams Cgil, Fisascat Cisl, and Uiltucs Uil, due to the non-renewal of the national collective contract by companies under Federturismo, Aica - Confindustria. Following initial protests in Cagliari last month, further demonstrations are expected across Sardinia and Italy.

🏨 HNH Hospitality, founded in 1999 by Loris Boccato and Marina Drighetto, saw CEO Luca Boccato lead a record growth year in 2023. The company closed 2023 with a net profit of €6.4 million, a 47.8% increase over the previous year’s €3.4 million. Revenue grew by 42.3% to over €106 million, driven by the Leisure segment and international demand, particularly from American clients. EBITDA rose by 35%, investment doubled, debt service flow halved, and liquidity at year-end increased by 22.5%. Operational cash flow increased by 51.2% to €19.5 million. The acquisition of Pullman Almar Timi Ama resort in Villasimius expanded the group’s operational scope. HNH also invested in sustainability, saving over 6,800 tonnes of CO2 with innovative technologies. Occupancy rates in 2023 returned to pre-pandemic levels at 73.5%, with a RevPAR increase to €116.2.

🏖️ L'Italia registra un tasso di prenotazione online del 39%, secondo al Mediterraneo. Le destinazioni più popolari: località lacuali/balneari (50%), termali (46%), montane (44%). Affitti brevi tramite OTA preferiti al 42%, con prezzo medio di soggiorno a 160€, inferiore alla media e in aumento del 3%. Le località balneari di Abruzzo (65%) ed Emilia-Romagna (61%) guidano le prenotazioni OTA, superando la media nazionale (50%). Sardegna presenta il prezzo medio più alto (256€). A agosto, calo prenotazioni aeree del 3% rispetto al 2023, con aumento domestico del 12%, USA (12%) e Roma (34%) principali mercati e hub. Permanenza media in Italia: 8,4 notti; europei (6-7 notti), USA (11 notti), italiani (6,9 notti). Bandiera blu 2024, Gallipoli la più ricercata (132mila ricerche), Budoni (+49% vs '23).

📌 In Italy, property managers offering short-term rentals must navigate the complexities of VAT (Partita IVA) compliance. If managing more than four properties or providing additional services, obtaining a Partita IVA is mandatory to ensure compliance with Italian tax laws. The standard VAT rate in Italy is 22%, with a reduced 21% flat tax option ('cedolare secca') for certain residential leases. Key regulations include displaying a National Identification Code (CIN) on listings from 2024 and reporting guest information to authorities within 24 hours. Automated check-in solutions like Chekin streamline operations for over 80,000 properties, offering features like online ID verification and ensuring regulatory compliance.

🏖️ On September 4, 2024, Federalberghi Verona, in collaboration with Federalberghi Garda Veneto and Federalberghi Mantova, presented the new features of the tourism CCNL renewal agreement from July 5, 2024, in Verona. The event featured Paolo Caldana, Secretary of Federalberghi Verona, Angelo Candido from Federalberghi, and attorney Valentina Avesani from Confcommercio Verona. Topics included the "dual" apprenticeship model and safety initiatives for students in work-study programs. A follow-up meeting is scheduled for September 27, 2024, in Pisa.