TOP NEWS

🚀 Lilium, Sea, and Skyports Infrastructure signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop a network of vertiports for electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft in Lombardy and Northern Italy. Lilium's electric air taxi can carry 6 passengers plus a pilot, flies at 248 km/h, covers 175 km, and recharges in 45 minutes, pending EASA certification. Lombardy, with a fifth of Italy's population and over 37 million visitors annually, targets a vertiport network operational by 2027. The first route will connect Milan Malpensa Airport, with its 26 million passengers, to central Milan. A joint venture company is being formed for vertiport development and operations.

🏎 Leonardo Hotels partners with Ferrari Club Passione Rossa on September 12, launching 'From Rome to Paris in Red' event. 30 branded Ferraris will initiate a four-day journey from Rome's Leonardo Boutique Hotel Rome Termini, stopping at Lazise's Leonardo Hotel Lago di Garda - Wellness and Spa, and ending in Paris at the recently opened Leonardo Boutique Hotel Paris Opera. Rafi Carmon (Country General Manager Italy, France & Hungary) and Fabio Barone (Founder of Passione Rossa) highlight the partnership's aim to provide high-level experiences and explore new destinations.

🏕 Kylie Jenner vacationed in Tuscany, attended Andrea Bocelli's 30th-anniversary celebration, and then moved to Venice. Sofia Vergara stayed in Forte dei Marmi, met Eros Ramazzotti, and saw a Bocelli concert. Gwyneth Paltrow started her Italian tour in Elba and proceeded to Umbria. Will Smith was present at a Coldplay concert in Rome and a Bocelli event. The Beckhams enjoyed Sardinia, nearing their 25th wedding anniversary. Jennifer Lopez chose the Amalfi Coast, Margot Robbie visited before Wimbledon, and Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom were in Porto Cervo before the French Riviera.

🍽 Chef Giuseppe D'Errico at La Madernassa creates a unique yakitori-style ventresca dish for the author, with a mix of spices, orange, cardamom, and dashi broth, served unexpectedly at the table. Designer Frenz Cuttica crafts one-of-a-kind ceramic centerpieces, each with a unique theme to connect diners. At Villa Sparina, a personalized message reflects the guest's preferences, with chef Graziano Caccioppoli's cuisine blending Campania and Piemonte. Lac Salin SPA & Mountain Resort in Livigno features an Apotheke where Valentina concocts bespoke base creams for treatments, using high-quality plant cosmetics. These experiences underscore personalized hospitality and cuisine, communicated with a personal touch.

🏫 Italian school tourism has rebounded, surpassing 2019 levels according to Didatour's 2023/2024 survey. Artistic and cultural destinations are chosen by 49% of primary, 77% of lower secondary, and 59% of upper secondary schools. Multi-day trips within Italy are preferred (43% vs. 11% abroad). Secondary schools favor longer trips: 85% of upper and 75% of lower secondary schools, with primary schools at 25% (up from 8% pre-pandemic). Museums are chosen in 14% of trips, while non-traditional destinations account for 25%. Overnight stays have increased to 55% for lower secondary schools. The majority of students (69%) spend around €300 for stays of two days or more, while day trips cost up to €20 (25% of cases) or more (48%). Three-star hotels are the most common accommodation. Travel agencies are used by 57% of respondents, more often by secondary schools. Only 12% utilized the school trip bonus of up to €150. Preferred travel months remain in spring (March and April at 27%, May at 35%).

📍 Over-tourism in locations like Barcelona and Venice is not just a perception; it's a factual pressure that needs serious management. Jan Van Der Borg, a professor at Ca' Foscari University in Venice and Leuven, emphasizes the concept of 'carrying capacity,' suggesting destinations have a threshold that, when exceeded, leads to conflict between locals and visitors. Venice receives 30 million visitors annually, surpassing its estimated capacity of 19 million. Side effects include increased living costs and environmental impacts, with net negative effects once the carrying capacity is surpassed. Van Der Borg critiques Venice's implemented tourism ticket for being poorly executed and suggests a reservation system aligned with carrying capacity. He defends short-term rentals, stating the link to housing discomfort is hard to prove, mentioning Venice began depopulating in the 1950s. Van Der Borg advocates for strategies focused on locals and sustainable tourism rather than high-spending tourists.

🏨 Consultant and trainer Piergiorgio Mosconi, who has a Master's degree in Economics and Tourism Techniques from the Italian Center for Advanced Studies on Tourism and Tourism Promotion in Assisi, endorsed by the University of Perugia, stresses the importance of feasibility analyses in hotel projects. He has worked in top luxury hotels in Italy, reaching the position of General Manager, and since 2006 has been freelancing, offering a wide range of consulting services. With a portfolio boasting prestigious Italian hospitality businesses like Hotel Hassler Rome, San Pietro di Positano, and Terme di Saturnia, Mosconi completed his Bachelor's degree in Business Economics in 2023. Feasibility studies critically assess project viability, accounting for market analysis, competition, and risk assessment, to predict key performance indicators like occupancy rates, average daily rate (ADR), and revenue per available room (RevPAR), culminating in the calculation of the Return on Investment (ROI).

🌍 Milan, 17 July 2024 - Chinese tourists returning to Italy are young luxury shoppers with higher post-pandemic spending power and familiarity with digital payments. They dream of European destinations, favoring Italy for fashion. Global Blue and Retex China report an 81% travel intent to Europe, with Chinese passenger recovery in Italy at 111% from June 2019. Tax-Free shopping in Q2 2024 shows 68% under 44, with a 43% increase in average fashion receipts to €1,441. Highest spenders are Millennials, averaging €3,590. Milan leads with 44% Tax Free expenditure and 65% recovery, while Venice boasts the highest average receipt of €2,273. Italy ranks third in online buzz among Chinese travelers in Q1 2024, with iconic attractions like Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence being the most popular.

🚢 Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley announces the new 'Discovery class' of smaller ships, allowing access to ports like Tampa and Baltimore. A second ship, Ovation of the Seas, will relocate to Los Angeles for 3, 5, and 6-night itineraries starting May 28.

🏡 Francesco Zorgno, presidente of CleanBnB Spa, reacts to the Tar court ruling on Florence's tourist rental restrictions, emphasizing Italy's €215 billion tourism industry, which accounts for 13% of GDP and employs 3 million people. Zorgno highlights the rise of longer stays in short-term rentals, now 14%, over quick trips, at 9%. CleanBnB managed 55,329 stays in the first half of 2024, up 35% from 2023, showcasing the success of professional property management.