TOP NEWS

🌊 Italy's Blue Flag awards increased to 246 coastal municipalities in 2025, up from 236 in 2024, covering 487 beaches (11.5% of global awards) and 84 tourist ports. ???? In 2025, 15 new entries include towns like Sapri and Messina, while 5 municipalities lost their status. Blue Flags evaluate 32 criteria, including waste management and marine life protection. Fee Italia emphasizes sustainability plans for 2025-2027, with goals like sustainable mobility and climate change combat.

🍽 Turismo enogastronomico in Italia nel 2024: 176% di incremento nei soggiorni e 2,4 milioni di presenze. La spesa internazionale ha toccato i 395,5 milioni di euro, crescendo del 9% rispetto al 2023. Principali mercati: Regno Unito, Germania, Spagna e Stati Uniti. Ivana Jelinic di Enit sottolinea l'importanza del made in Italy, mentre il ministro Daniela Santanchè evidenzia il ruolo chiave delle eccellenze agroalimentari per l'economia locale e internazionale.

📈 Napoli is set to host the America's Cup finals in 2027, potentially drawing over 1.5 million visitors during the two-month event, with one-third from overseas. The anticipated economic impact could reach €700 million, with more than half from tourism, according to Centro Studi Unimpresa. The city plans to invest €70 million in the event, while sailing teams are expected to contribute an additional €21 million.

🚄 Roma, dal 4 luglio al 30 agosto 2025, si attiva l’Espresso Riviera, un treno notturno di FS Treni Turistici Italiani. Collega Roma, Genova e il ponente ligure con la Costa Azzurra fino a Marsiglia, partendo ogni venerdì e tornando domenica. Biglietti in vendita dal 24 maggio su www.fstrenituristici.it. Offre cuccette, vagoni letto, salottini e servizio ristorante. Connessioni dirette da Genova con coincidenze per Milano, promuovendo un turismo ferroviario sostenibile.

🍴 Giovedì 15 maggio a Palermo, presso la Gambero Rosso Academy, Chef Giuseppe Buscicchio esplorerà le "Proteine Evolute" in un evento "FOODART Trends - Il Menù del Futuro" organizzato da Unilever Food Solutions. L'evento, in collaborazione con la Federazione Italiana Cuochi, si terrà alle 15:30 e sarà disponibile anche in streaming. Buscicchio presenterà tre ricette: "Barbabietola alla cenere", "Raviolo uovo, asparagi e tartufo", e "Lumache BBQ".

📈 LVG Group si espande con l'acquisizione della quota di maggioranza da parte di White Bridge Investments III. Un aumento di capitale di 10 milioni di euro sosterrà nuovi investimenti. Entro settembre 2025, LVG aprirà cinque nuove strutture nel Nord Italia, puntando a superare 20 milioni di fatturato annuale. Nel 2024, ha registrato un fatturato di oltre 14 milioni di euro, in crescita del 35% rispetto al 2023. Claudio Lavagna e Francesco Dicuonzo manterranno i loro ruoli di leadership.

🐾 The Ente Nazionale di Aviazione Civile (ENAC) approved a new policy yesterday allowing pets in aircraft cabins, exceeding the previous 8-10 kg limit. This decision aims to make air travel more 'pet-friendly'. ENAC's President, Pierluigi Di Palma, emphasized safety and social needs. Pets must be in approved carriers, secured on or above seats, ensuring no obstruction or crew disruption, while maintaining their well-being.

🏕 During Easter holidays, 84,000 Italians booked outdoor stays through Pitchup.com, witnessing a 230% increase from last year and accounting for 27% of bookings in Italy. International outdoor stays surged by 67% since 2024. German (21%), UK (15%), French (9%), and Swiss (8%) travelers also chose Italy for Easter. Shorter, more frequent holidays are trending, with a shift towards domestic tourism. Italians are booking 13% more international trips, favoring Hungary (+263%), Belgium (+76%), Portugal (+70%), Luxembourg (+61%), and New Zealand (+61%).

📍 Falkensteiner Michaeler Tourism Group (FMTG) outlines a growth plan featuring new "traditional" openings, crowdinvesting, and branded residence, with an investment of €400 million, €240 million already allocated for ongoing projects in Italy and Croatia. Italy reaffirms its strategic market with four new projects, including Falkensteiner Hotel Bozen WaltherPark opening on July 10, featuring 113 rooms and Italy’s first rooftop Mochi restaurant. The Falkensteiner Park Resort Lake Garda in Lombardy, with a 5-star hotel of 97 rooms, 170 premium apartments, and 4 villas, is set to open in March 2026. The 5-star Falkensteiner Hotel Licata in Sicily, with 125 rooms, will debut in summer 2026, focusing on family and active holidays. The forthcoming Falkensteiner Resort Cesenatico will include approximately 150 rooms and 130 apartments. In March 2026, the Falkensteiner Aurora Residences are launching in Croatia, and a new 5-star Falkensteiner Hotel in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, with 127 rooms, is planned. The first German property, Falkensteiner Family Hotel Grömitz, is slated for 2028, featuring 104 rooms and suites, plus 26 apartments. FMTG, celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2025

🏨 Hospitality Design Conference is scheduled for May 8 in Milan, organized by Teamwork, targeting hoteliers, architects, hospitality operators, architecture students, suppliers. The event, from 9:30 to 17:30, will feature over 60 speakers in seminars covering the hospitality industry's entire chain, from design to management. There will be a large exhibition area with more than 40 partner companies. Topics will include industry trends, sustainability, guest expectations, hotel renovations, budgeting, and effective solutions. International and national architects and hoteliers will share case studies. The conference will be held at Melià Milano.