TOP NEWS

📍 In April 2026, the Orient Express will open its first hotel in Venice, at the Palazzo Donà Giovannelli in the Cannaregio district. This 15th-century building, restored by architect Aline Asmar d'Amman, features 47 rooms, suites, and private apartments. The hotel combines neo-Gothic, Baroque, and contemporary design. Six signature suites overlook the canal, and it includes a Wagon Bar and a fine dining restaurant. Guests can arrive via a private boat, the Santa Fosca secret garden, or the Strada Nova courtyard.

🏖 Mangia’s Sardinia Resort in Santa Teresa di Gallura underwent a major renovation. With 595 rooms, including Standard, Superior, Junior Suite, and Family Suite, it now features four restaurants and extensive sports facilities, including three padel courts and two tennis courts. Hotel Investment Partners invested €62 million, employing over 300 professionals and 40 local companies. Sustainability is key, earning BREEAM “Very Good” and EPC class A certifications, plus a 219 kWp solar power system.

📈 BWH Hotels Italia & Malta reports over €185 million in gross B&B revenue for H1 2025, with a 73% occupancy rate and a 2.4% RevPAR growth. Key ADR increases occurred in Bologna (+10.5%) and mountain locations (+6%). RevPAR excelled in Puglia (+13%) and seaside resorts (+12%). Bookings rose by 4% with a 2% ADR growth, and stays of one week increased by 15%. Loyalty program participation grew by 11.6%.

📅 Singapore remains at the top of the Henley Passport Index 2025, followed by Japan and South Korea in second place. Italy, sharing third place with six European countries, offers visa-free access to 189 countries. The U.S. drops to tenth and the UK to sixth. India ascends eight spots to 77th, offering access to 59 countries. China rises 34 positions since 2015, granting visa-free entry to 74 nationalities in 2025. The UAE climbs to eighth, providing access to 185 countries.

🏖 Mangia's reports a 15% revenue growth during the first half of 2024, with a 17% increase in revenue per room, according to Marcello Mangia. The trend remains strong into September. A €62 million investment led to the June opening of Mangia’s Sardinia Resort. In 2026, a new luxury resort in Kamarina, Ragusa, will feature two high-end hotels with over 600 rooms, targeting the U.S. market.

💻 Un'indagine di Adyen nel 2025 rivela che il 29% degli italiani usa l'intelligenza artificiale per pianificare viaggi, con un incremento del 77% rispetto al 2024. Tra i Boomers, l'uso è cresciuto del 111%, mentre tra la Generazione X c'è un aumento dell'85%. La Generazione Z è al 52% e i Millennials al 40%. Il 57% dei Boomers apprezza l'IA per filtrare informazioni superflue, contrastando la frustrazione del 66% da social media.

📈 BWH Hotels Italia & Malta reports strong results for H1 2025, with estimated gross revenue of over €185 million. The network's occupancy rate is stable at 73%, ADR increases by 2.2%, and RevPAR by 2.4%. Bologna sees a 10.5% ADR rise, and Gorizia's RevPAR jumps by 21%. STR analysis shows an RGI of 115. Summer bookings are up 4%, with a 2% ADR increase and a 15% rise in week-long stays.

🌍 Italiani: da giugno a settembre, 34 milioni partiranno, con il 57% in viaggio. Outdoor travel cresce, con l'82% pianificato. Preferenze per luglio e agosto, ma giugno e settembre guadagnano interesse. Mare è top con 62% preferenze; vacanze alternative in aumento. Budget vacanze quasi 1,950 euro, outdoor spesa media quasi 2,700 euro. Preoccupazioni economiche influenzano decisioni: 59% opta per scelte economiche. Turismo outdoor sfiora il 25% del mercato, riflette nuove esigenze di viaggio.

💸 EU Travel Tech urges the European Commission to penalize Google for alleged dominance in online travel searches through its Google Hotels and Google Flights services. The pressure seeks a fine for anti-competitive practices, claiming Google's integration of services limits competition and harms consumers and travel service providers. Emmanuel Mounier, EU Travel Tech's secretary, calls for equal opportunities for all operators after years of antitrust investigations.

🌾 Italian agro-food sector faces challenges, as under-40 farmers are just 12% of the total, per the EU Commission. Global durum wheat stocks dropped by 25% (average 2018-2022), with a 28% EU deficit, affecting costs for restaurants and bakeries. Fertilizer costs may rise by 13% due to CBAM's pilot phase from October 1, 2023. COMPAG calls for coherent efforts to tackle economic, environmental, and regulatory issues, emphasizing innovation, sustainability, and digital agriculture for future competitiveness.