TOP NEWS

🏖 Destination Italia's Gross Travel Value (GTV) reached €21.2 million in Q1 2025, a 29% increase from €16.3 million in Q1 2024. The B2B channel recorded a GTV of €18.5 million (+30% from Q1 2024), while B2C saw €2.7 million (+27%). Brokerage Margin was €2.3 million, up 34% from €1.7 million. Dina Ravera, president of Destination Italia, aligns these numbers with the 2025 goals: production value (€75-90 million) and EBITDA (€3-4.5 million) set on October 31, 2024. Hubcore.AI launched recently, and an agreement with Italcares, a leader in medical tourism, was announced.

🖤 In Rome, due to Pope Francis' funeral, consumer associations report accommodation prices surging by up to a thousand euros for the night of Saturday near the Vatican, compared to the weekends before and after. Giuseppe Roscioli, president of Federalberghi Roma, acknowledges slight price increases but finds rates lower than in 2024. Despite high season, the event compensates for many cancellations. Carrani's CEO Roberto Pannozzi and Acampora Travel confirm slight rate hikes, attributed to Easter, holidays, the Jubilee, and the Pope's death.

🏠 On April 18, 2025, the Italian State Council ruled (sentence no. 2928/2025) that non-entrepreneurial tourist rentals do not fall within the powers of municipal inhibitions, preventing local regulations on the matter. Elisabetta Fabri, President of Associazione Italiana Confindustria Alberghi, stressed the strong social impact of unchecked tourist rentals in Italy's cities and the urgent need for national regulation to allow mayors to act based on concrete data, with tools like the National Database of Accommodation Facilities and National Identification Code available for sector monitoring.

🏖️ In Italy's 2025 outdoor tourism season, international presences are expected to hit 38 million, up 1% from 2024, surpassing domestic figures of 29.7 million, which are down 2%. Overall, 67.7 million presences are anticipated, contributing €4.97 billion in direct spending and nearly double that at €8.85 billion when including indirect expenses. The market's resilience is emphasized by the need for innovation in the tourist experience, as noted by Domenico Montano of Human Company.

🕊 Ferrovie dello Stato will enhance train connections in Rome for Pope Francis' funeral on Saturday, April 26 at 10 a.m. An extraordinary plan has been prepared to accommodate the influx of followers wishing to bid farewell to the Pope. Services will be bolstered for long-distance travel and airport routes in collaboration with Civil Protection, which coordinates emergency and logistical efforts. Busitalia will activate charter services and intermodal solutions for station access. Extraordinary presences will be established at key stations including Roma Termini, Tiburtina, Ostiense, San Pietro, Valle Aurelia, Fiumicino, and Civitavecchia to manage crowds and assist travelers, with Sala Blu offering free assistance for those with reduced mobility.

🏖️ 7Pines Resort Sardinia, located on Costa Smeralda, reopened recently, offering hospitality and sustainability. Recognized by Forbes Travel Guide's 2025 Star Awards for sustainability and hospitality excellence, it features meticulous environmental impact reduction and local resource use. Its restaurant Capogiro, awarded by Michelin Guide for 2024 and 2025, reopens May 2, while Cone Club opens June 1. The 800 sqm Pure Seven Spa and sport academies by Karel Nováček, Massimo Fenu, and Dustin Brown are also available, alongside the Kio House of Kids for eco-awareness.

🍕 Masardona, renowned for Neapolitan fried pizza, launches the second season of "Napoli Racconta Napoli – Special Delivery" on May 1, with episodes available every Thursday. Creators Salvatore and Cristiano Piccirillo aim to promote Naples culturally. The docuseries, produced by Bread and Network, shifts focus from entrepreneurial figures to contemporary pop culture artists, featuring Salvatore Esposito and Antonio Nocera. Masardona's story began in 1945 with Anna Manfredi and evolved into an internationally recognized brand by the fourth generation, with a recent expansion in Rome and participation in prestigious events like the G7 and Giorgio Armani celebrations. Celebrating 80 years, the brand has undergone rebranding by Bread And Network, enhancing its identity while preserving its heritage.

🏖️ In Sardegna, tourism is booming with bookings arriving 50 days ahead from Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, and Austria. Paolo Manca, President of Federalberghi Sardegna, highlights a rise in July bookings, steady numbers for August, and positive forecasts for the summer. Key cities like Cagliari and Alghero are popular, with a 3% increase in reservations for May 1st, boosted by direct flights. May, September, and October show a 5-7% increase in beach resort bookings compared to last year, with 50% of hotels already open.

🏨 Italian Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanchè announced an upcoming tender for housing aimed at tourism workers. The initiative includes discussions with Invimit (100% owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance) to leverage public real estate assets. The focus is on addressing the accommodation challenges faced by workers, often from outside the area, affected by high rental costs. Santanchè also mentioned repurposing decommissioned hotels and maintaining part of the Olympic village in Cortina post-2026 Games for workers’ housing.

📅 Italian hospitality businesses report a 60% room occupancy rate for Easter, with over 670,000 rooms sold, generating approximately €128 million. Bookings are strongest for slow tourism destinations, exceeding 70% occupancy. Cities of art bookings stand at 63.9%, mountain destinations at 61.3%, and thermal destinations at 59.6%. Advance sales for spring holidays are at 57% for April 25th and 55% for May 1st. Foreign tourism contributes to a 4.5% increase in airport arrivals from March to May 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, with Rome expecting 28.4% of these due to the Jubilee effect. The top five markets for holiday stays in Italy are the UK (15.1%), Germany (10.3%), USA (8.7%), France (8.8%), and Spain (7.7%). Italy outperforms France with nearly 7 million arrivals. For summer 2025, 60% of June, 64.8% of July, and 65.4% of August rooms are already sold.