TOP NEWS

🍻 The study "I Bar nel 2035: Insight dai Leader" by CGA by NIQ and SIP by Pernod Ricard highlights emerging trends for bars including glocalization, moderation, and social media. During a roundtable in Madrid, industry leaders discussed the importance of balancing international brands with local experiences, noting 24% of consumers want locally-sourced drinks. Staff challenges in 2025 involve hiring, retention, and work-life balance, with 72% wanting to stay in the sector and 46% seeking balance. Social media's impact is significant, with 72% visiting bars and 66% trying products after online discovery. The moderation movement grows, as 32% plan to reduce alcohol intake, favoring premium and non-alcoholic options. Key participants in the roundtable included industry influencers and experts like Remy Savage and Indra Kantono. 🍸

🏖️ FIPE President Lino Enrico Stoppani emphasized the crucial role of beach tourism in Italy's economy at the Stati Generali del Turismo Balneare event organized by SIB in Rome. He called for a stable legal framework to allow sector companies to plan long-term investments, highlighting the need for clear rules that protect the coasts, valorize the expertise of beach operators, and preserve a model that has attracted both Italian and foreign tourists.

🍹 Daiquiri, a classic cocktail from Cuba, has featured in films since the late 19th century. Ernest Hemingway's variant, Hemingway Special, was created without sugar by Constante Ribalaigua Vert in Havana's El Floridita bar. It appeared in "Our Man in Havana" (1959), "Suddenly, Last Summer" (1959), "The Godfather Part II" (1974), and "The Mirror Crack'd" (1980). The IBA recipe includes 60ml white Cuban rum, 20ml fresh lime juice, and 2 bar spoons of fine sugar, shaken until the sugar dissolves.

🌍 In 2025, 72% of travelers plan to go abroad, with Japan as the top destination (13%), followed by the USA (9.5%) and France (9%). Online research for hotels will begin with search engines for 36%, a 10% rise from 2024. OTA bookings will increase by 3% to 42%, while direct bookings decline by 1% to 27%. Standard rooms are preferred by 46%, loyalty programs influence 24% of travelers, and 92% will invest equal or more in accommodations. Event-driven travel grows, with 65% more inclined to travel for events, and 70% willing to pay extra for eco-friendly stays. Smart working during trips will be considered by 41%, and pet-friendly services are important for 46% of travelers. AI divides opinions; 12% support AI managing entire hotel operations. SiteMinder’s report is based on data from 12,000 travelers across 14 countries.

🍕 The new app "Il Golosario Totale," developed by enogastronomic journalism experts Paolo Massobrio and Marco Gatti, offers over 10,000 recommendations for restaurants, shops, and wineries across Italy. Intended for food and wine enthusiasts, the app integrates previous versions including "Il Golosario Ristoranti" with over 3,800 listings, "Il Golosario Negozi" with more than 3,900 businesses, and "Il Golosario Wine Tour," featuring over 1,700 unique winery experiences. With a user-friendly interface, it allows filtering by various criteria and detailed business information. The download is free, and while shops and wineries are accessible without cost, the restaurants section requires a 7.99 euro annual subscription. The app is available on iOS and Android platforms.

📦 GL events Italia organizes Horeca Expoforum at Lingotto Fiere di Torino from 16 to 18 March 2025. The event features over 14,000 sqm of exhibition area, more than 200 brands, and includes the Italian selections for Bocuse d’Or 2027. Innovations span across technology, mixology, bakery, brewing, and more, plus collaborations with Humanitas Gradenigo and Banco Alimentare del Piemonte. Nearly 460,000 businesses represent Italy's sector, with 6.4% in Piedmont. Horeca Expoforum also offers showcookings, masterclasses, workshops, and competitions such as Best Student Selection and Lady Chef.

🛍 In Italy, the tax-free shopping threshold set at €70 leads to 2.4 million shopping tourists in 2024, a 14% increase from the previous year. Francesco di Cesare notes a total spend of €20-22 billion, with 27 outlets over 750,000 sqm (+4% in 2024, +6% forecast for 2025), 80 shopping streets, 74 department stores, and 1346 malls. The US leads purchases (20%, €123 average receipt), followed by German-speaking countries (28%, €85 average) and France (5%, €52 average), with UAE having the highest per capita spend (€366).

📍 At the ITB Berlin, Italian Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanchè outlined strategies for attracting German tourists, who are the primary market for Italy as per 2024 ENIT data. She emphasized creating diverse and engaging tourism offers, including sporting events like the Giro d'Italia, Ryder Cup, Milan-Cortina Olympics, and the Jubilee, which turns devotees into tourists. Santanchè also highlighted the importance of seasonal offerings, promotion of small villages, slow tourism, and wellness-related activities. Additionally, she stressed enhancing communication and using AI for storytelling and flow management to make Italy the top global tourist destination and boost the tourism industry. She commended Enit Spa for its significant progress and emphasized collaboration in elevating service quality.

🏖 Caroline Bremner, head of Travel and Tourism Research at Euromonitor, announced at the 2025 edition of Itb that tourism has fully recovered from 2019 levels and is breaking records, with a forecasted tourism spend of $5.5 trillion in 2025, including international and domestic travel. This spend is expected to generate an additional $1.1 trillion in value for the industry. Leading global market destinations include the USA, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, with significant interest in Saudi Arabia and continued attractiveness of the Emirates. Hong Kong and India are poised for notable growth. Emerging travel trends focus on immersive experiences, personal passions, AI technology for customized trips, and positive impacts on visited communities, challenging organized tourism players to align with sustainability and community-focused strategies.

🏨 44% of key skills in the hospitality industry must evolve by 2028 to adapt to new technologies and market demands, according to the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2024. Formazione Alberghiera, founded by Maurizio Galli in Verona in 2018, advocates for investing in training as a strategic response to the sector's staffing crisis. LinkedIn Learning Report 2024 indicates 79% of professionals see continuous learning as essential for career success, and Sommet Education 2024 notes 30% of young talents in hospitality seek growth opportunities, which is key to motivation and retention. The World Economic Forum anticipates 300,000-400,000 new managerial roles in hospitality by 2030. Formazione Alberghiera, a leading Italian hospitality training school, offers over 3,000 hours of corporate training annually.