TOP NEWS

💸 Minor Hotels Europe & Americas reported €1.15 billion in revenues for the first half of 2024, a +11.5% increase over €1.03 billion in H1 2023. The company's net profit soared by +57.4% to €71 million. Daily rates averaged €143, with RevPAR growing from €90 to €96, and occupancy reaching 67.6%. EBITDA rose by 11.4% to €298 million, and the firm reduced its debt by €24 million to €241 million. Liquidity stood at €537 million as of June 30, 2024. Italy saw +4% revenue growth, with occupancy at 67% and ADR at €185. Fitch upgraded the company's credit rating from B to BB- in April 2024.

🇳🇱 In Venice, a 5€ entry fee collected 2.425.310€ over 29 days between April and July 2024, surpassing the targeted 700,000€. Of the 3,618,114 bookings, 1.4 million were hotel guests, 1 million for work/study, and 400,000 were residents/relatives, all exempt. Visitor numbers stayed below 2023 levels, indicating lower congestion. Future plans include increasing fee days and potentially raising the fee to 10€ in 2025. Mixed international media reactions highlighted local resident satisfaction and critic skepticism. Funds will support city maintenance and restoration.

✈ Swiss Group International AG, in partnership with GSA Rep Air, has increased flight frequency between Naples and Sharm El-Sheikh for the tourist season peak. Star East Airlines has flights on August 5, 12, 19, 26, and September 2, departing Naples at 13:15 and arriving at 12:15. Red Sea Airlines operates on August 4, 11, 18 with departures at 20:40, arrivals at 19:40, and on August 25 and September 1, flights leave at 19:35, arriving at 18:35.

📖 The Italian Ministry of Tourism is creating a national database of accommodation facilities, including non-hotel lodgings and short-term rental apartments. Gianluca Caramanna, National Head of the Tourism Department, highlighted that short-term rentals make up nearly 50% of Italy's accommodation capacity, proving vital for the economy in 2023. The experimental phase of the "Cin" identifier began in June 2024, with 20,000 out of 276,000 registered facilities receiving it. By September 2024, all facilities must comply, facing fines from €800 to €8,000 for non-compliance, with additional fines for failure to display the required badge. This initiative aims to fight illegal accommodation and unfair competition.

🏖 Destination Italia is investing over €3 million in IT development, specifically in the Hubcore platform for tourism operators, over a three-year period. The all-in-one technology is designed for OTA, hotel businesses, and DMC/DMO. The investment focuses on improving booking processes through Artificial Intelligence (AI), aiming at efficiency and responsiveness. Migration of Destination Italia's data to Hubcore has begun, and various tourism operators are already using the platform. Dina Ravera, the company's president, emphasizes the importance of IT investment in tourism for the country's economic growth and the integration of AI to save time on repetitive tasks.

🏠 Milan is the most sought-after Italian destination by British travelers, second for Spaniards, Dutch, and Portuguese, fourth for the French, and sixth for Germans as of August 2024, according to www.jetcost.it. Italy ranks as the second most searched country for vacations after Portugal. Leading holiday spots for Italian tourists include the Canary Islands and major European capitals. Tenerife tops the list, followed by Catania, Palermo, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Olbia, Corfu, and Ibiza rounding out the top ten. Jetcost's marketing director, Ignazio Ciarmoli, noted a record surge in vacation searches, surpassing the previous year.

📍 Inaugurated this morning, the Basilicata information desk at Bari ‘Karol Wojtyla’ Airport strengthens the Puglia-Basilicata macroregion concept. Antonio Maria Vasile, president of Aeroporti di Puglia, emphasizes it as a milestone in regional collaboration and a traveler's resource to explore Basilicata's wonders. Antonio Nicoletti, Apt Basilicata's director, highlights the desk will provide transportation info and notes a 63% increase in foreign arrivals in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2019.

🏖️ Mountain tourism in Italy is growing, with summer season forecasts showing 6.538 million arrivals, a 1.7% increase from the same period in 2023, resulting in over 73 million overnight stays. The anticipated 2024 tourism revenue for mountain areas is more than 5.5 billion euros. 16% of summer vacationers choose the mountains for relaxation, with 19.9% citing rejuvenation and 15.8% seeking a break from daily life, boasting a 47.1% loyalty rate. Uncem President Marco Bussone calls for a 1 billion euro annual national fund to enhance services and modernize lodging facilities, as 92% require upgrades.

🏨 Napoli Capodichino Airport expects 4 million arrivals and departures between June and August, with a record 1.5 million in August alone, marking a 3% increase from the same period in 2023. June saw 1.353 million passengers, July 1.475 million, and August is projected for 1.5 million, with international travelers accounting for 70% of total traffic. Over a million city visits are anticipated, with Tourism Councillor Teresa Armato reporting a 14% increase in the first five months compared to 2023, and 1.230 million presences expected, up by 10% from last year.

🏖️ Touring Club Italiano and Fondazione Campus annually offer the executive master Management dello Sviluppo Turistico Territoriale for recent graduates and professionals. The course, updated each edition, includes artificial intelligence in tourism for its 5th edition. Hybrid format (online and in-person in Milan) starts on November 15, with registration closing October 31, 2024.