TOP NEWS

🏕 By the end of 2024, the planet will have fully recovered from the Covid-induced crisis, with tourism numbers hitting 1.1 billion in the first nine months, equating to 98% of pre-pandemic levels. Italy showcased double-digit growth in tourism revenue compared to pre-Covid earnings. The UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili highlighted the positive impact on jobs and small businesses. The Middle East leads growth with a 29% increase in arrivals, while Qatar saw a 141% jump compared to 2019. Japan topped the list with a 59% rise in tourism revenue for 2023, followed by Turkey at 41% and France at 27%. The UK, Canada, and Australia also reported significant gains in the first half of 2024, with the US seeing a 7% increase from January to September.

🎢 In 2024, Italian cruise industry recorded 14.1 million passenger movements, slightly up from 13.8 million in 2023. Civitavecchia led with 3.4 million passengers (+2.5% vs 2023) and 860 ship calls (+6.3%). Naples followed with 1.73 million passengers (+4.9%) and 454 ship calls. Genoa had 1.5 million passengers (-11.7%) with 308 calls (-9.4%), while Palermo surpassed one million passengers. By 2025, passenger movements may exceed 15 million. Global cruise tourists are projected to reach 40.8 million by 2028, a 14.3% increase from 2024, with available beds rising by 10% to 745,000.

🏖️ In 2024, the Italian tourism industry faced a trend inflation of +3.6% and a 10.9% increase in average daily hotel rates due to higher energy costs, impacting 37% of tourism operators negatively. The sector is challenged by a lack of digitization, with 43.7% of hotels showing low digital attitude, resulting in fewer bookings. Direct booking at hotels is rising annually, fueled by special packages and services. Social media, especially among 40% of Gen Z preferring it over Google, influences 90% of their purchase decisions. The Osservatorio Mr PRENO notes an increasing importance of sustainability in traveler choices, with many willing to pay more for eco-friendly options.

📅 In Lecce, the first biennial ITS course for 'Travel Office manager' commenced, organized by the 'ITS Academy Regionale della Puglia per l’Industria della Ospitalità e del Turismo Allargato,' Aidit Federturismo, and Confindustria Lecce. Aimed at training professionals capable of traditional tourism organization roles, it includes tasks pertinent to agency desk personnel, hotel staff, tourist info points, and corporate travel offices. Stefania Mandurino of Aidit Federturismo emphasizes the necessity of professional training for modern tourism businesses, particularly due to informed customers and technological changes in product development and sales.

🏥 At the Wellness Hospitality Conference in Milan on November 21, over 600 attendees, 30 partner companies, and 15 media outlets gathered to discuss wellness trends with 30 experts. The event, organized by Teamwork Hospitality at NH Collection Citylife, featured speakers like Cristina Mottironi from Bocconi University, Laszlo Puczko of HTWWLife, and Giorgio Ribaudo of Thrends. The next conference is scheduled for November 20, 2025.

🏨 B&B HOTELS inaugurated its seventh establishment in Piedmont, the B&B HOTEL Alba, expanding its brand with over 850 hotels in Europe and more than 75 in Italy. The hotel features 89 rooms, Wi-Fi at 300 Mb/s, Smart TV with Chromecast, a B&B Shop, and a buffet breakfast available from 7:00 to 10:00 AM. Additionally, it offers a Meeting Room with a 100-person capacity and a parking lot for 70 vehicles. Liliana Comitini, the company's leader for Italy, Slovenia, and Hungary, emphasizes the brand's evolution and commitment to promoting regional tourism.

🏖️ Presidente di Federturismo Confindustria Marina Lalli partecipò al Forum UniCredit "Build Your Destination" il 27 novembre a Roma. L'Industry Book di UniCredit rivela che il turismo italiano prevede una crescita annua del fatturato superiore al 3% dal 2024 al 2026. Il settore punta su turismo sostenibile, MICE, grandi eventi come il Giubileo e colmare il gap di competenze. Federturismo sottolinea l'importanza di adeguarsi ai cambiamenti nel modo di viaggiare e promuovere i territori.

🏢 Italy is Europe's queen and second in the world for congresses in 2023 and likely 2024, according to "Italian Knowledge Leaders" by Convention Bureau Italia. The country is second in Europe for converting knowledge leaders into confirmed congresses (nearly 40%). In 2023, Italy ranked first with 553 congresses, followed by Spain (505) and France (472). Projections place Italy at the top for 2024 with 540 events, contributing about 20% to national tourism flows. Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè and Convention Bureau Italia's President Carlotta Ferrari highlighted Italy's post-pandemic recovery and the role of knowledge leaders.

🏆 Italy ranks top in Europe and second in the world for the number of conferences held in 2023, with projections maintaining this position for 2024, as reported at the 'Italian Knowledge Leaders' event organized by the Convention Bureau Italia. Italy hosted 553 conferences in 2023, leading Spain (505) and France (472), and is set to remain first in 2024 with 540 planned events. Conferences contribute around 20% to national tourism flows, with Italy converting nearly 40% of its knowledge leaders into confirmed conferences.

🏖 In 2023, Italy saw a record-breaking tourism year with 133.6 million arrivals and 447.2 million overnight stays, surpassing 2019's peak. Tourist flows increased by 12.8% in arrivals and 8.5% in overnight stays compared to 2022. Foreign tourist presence, accounting for 52.4% of demand, grew by 23.2% in arrivals and 16.5% in overnight stays, while domestic growth was more modest at 3.7% and 1%, respectively. The summer months of June-September concentrated 58.6% of annual stays, with Italy outperforming the European average with an 8.5% increase versus the EU27's 6.8%.