Important news for the Anantara Convento di Amalfi Grand Hotel, which joins the Virtuoso network. 

“We have a tailored service approach”

Joining Virtuso is an opportunity to create new sales and marketing opportunities, explains Estelle Vassallo, general manager of the hotel in the town of Amalfi in the Campania region. "The Virtuoso evaluation process is incredibly selective. Becoming a partner is therefore a real honour. The reputation for exceptional customer dedication enjoyed by the network's member agencies fits perfectly with our tailored service approach."

Historic charm blend with contemporary elegance 

The Virtuoso network comprises more than 2,300 selected properties in 100 countries. The network's agencies have an average annual turnover of $28-32 billion worldwide. The Anantara Convento di Amalfi Grand Hotel is a 13th-century monastery building that blends historic charm with contemporary elegance. Overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea and its rugged coastline, it offers a range of dining experiences and treatments at the Anantara Spa.

Italy experienced a record-breaking year in 2023 for air traffic, surpassing pre-Covid levels with over 197 million passengers. 

 A 20% growth compared to 2022

According to the latest report from ENAC the Italian civilian aviation authority, this was a 2% increase over 2019 and a remarkable 20% growth compared to 2022. Pierluigi Di Palma, president of ENAC, commented, “The increase in passenger numbers and the recovery of air traffic in 2023, continuing into the first months of this year, underscores the importance of air transport for Italy. It aligns with the trend of growth and technological innovation and epitomizes the present and future of air transport.” 

Rome Fiumicino-New York JFK had nearly one million passengers

Rome Fiumicino airport retained its position as Italy’s leading hub for passenger traffic, with some 40.3 million passengers.  The growth, aided by the expansion of ITA Airways, propelled Leonardo da Vinci Airport back to the top spot for intercontinental routes. The Fiumicino-New York JFK route reclaimed its lead with nearly one million passengers carried in both directions (981,030), surpassing Malpensa-JFK (833,000 passengers), which held the top spot in 2022 Domestic traffic grew 6% over 2022, with 68.6 million passengers, while international traffic saw even greater growth, with 128.5 million passengers, a 28% increase from 2022.

Ryanair carried over 37 million passengers to and from Italy

Low-cost carriers carried the majority of passengers, accounting for 56% or 110.2 million passengers. Ryanair led the international front, with over 37 million passengers between Italy and Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, and capturing a third of the total market segment. Wizz Air (13.18 million) and easyJet (12.31 million) followed, with ITA Airways (6.18 million) increasing its presence ,while the Spanish low-cost Vueling, a Spanish owned by IAG, carried just under 5 million passengers. Traditional carriers accounted for 44% of total passengers, with 86.8 million passengers, representing a 10% increase from the previous year.

ITA airways is focusing on quality with the introduction of the new long-hauk Comfort Economy to meet the needs of all passengers.

New seats, airport lounges and in-flight menus

So here come the Comfort Economy seats on the Airbus A330-900 and A350-900 aircraft, the Poltrona Top and Poltrona Anteriore seats for a more comfortable journey, airport lounges in Rome Fiumicino, Milan Linate and Catania Fontanarossa, Wi-fi connectivity on board long-haul flights and a new in-flight menu from Michelin-starred chef Giancarlo Morelli.

Priority boarding in Comfort Economy Class

Passengers in Comfort Economy class on the Airbus A330-900 and A350-900 long-haul aircraft can enjoy more comfortable and personalized travel. In addition to the more comfortable seats, there is also a range of services such as priority boarding and disembarkation, reserved hat racks for hand luggage, and more legroom. In addition to this, it is also possible to choose to travel in the Top Seat located at the emergency exits guaranteeing greater comfort, and in the Front Seat located immediately behind the Business/Superior class which allows passengers to disembark even faster from the aircraft. 

Comfort Economy has 30 minutes of free Wifi

In Comfort Economy on all these long-haul aircraft it is also possible to access the Wi-fi accessible through the ITA Airways portal, with 30 free minutes available for all passengers, and they can also purchase the package that best suits their needs.

Five airport lounges in Rome, Milan and Catania  

ITA has five lounges: the Hangar Lounge at Rome Fiumicino for passengers departing to domestic and international destinations in the Schengen area, and the Piazza di Spagna lounge located in boarding area for business/superior class passengers, Volare Executive and Premium members and Elite Plus Skyteam members, as well as the Fantasia Lounge for unaccompanied minors. At Milan Linate there is the Piazza della Scala lounge located on the first floor of the Schengen boarding area, while at Catania airport the Piazza Bellini lounge was inaugurated last December.

Menus from a Michelin-starred chef

The carrier has launched a new business class menu on intercontinental flights out of Italy designed by chef Giancarlo Morelli, who can boast of having numerous awards in world haute cuisine, including a Michelin star. The protagonists of the menus created by Morelli, who hails from the northern Lombardy region, are seasonality, freshness and the delicate colours of spring vegetables, and are designed to take customers on a journey through the scents, flavours and colours of Italy's excellence, bringing Italian tastes around the world.

Driverso, Europe's first digital platform for luxury car rental, was presented to companies, experts, stakeholders and enthusiasts from all over Europe at the Maxxi Museum in Rome. 

A global meeting focusing on the luxury lifestyle

The 2nd Driverso global meeting revealed scenarios and trends of a branch that blends luxury, lifestyle, digital economy and the ever-changing habits of travellers. The speakers at Driverso’s Maxxi event included Ryan Sarver, partner Redpoints Ventures and former director of Twitter, Massimiliano Archiapatti, CEO of Hertz Italy, Jasmine Boni-Ball of Tuscany Now and More, Ferruccio Rossi, general manager of Sanlorenzo Yacht and Maurizio Iperti, CEO of LoJack. Driverso provides hundreds of vehicles of all the most prestigious brands in ten European countries including Italy. With a turnover of €169 million in 2023, 192 active companies and a car fleet of 3,456 units, Driverso's Analysis Lab indicates an average cost per premium rental of €2,916 for a total of 58,074 transactions in the year.

“Customers seek immersive and customized experiences”

"High-end car rental plays a key role in the Italian and international tourism offer, enriching the entire travel experience," said Pierluigi Galassetti, co-founder of Driverso. -This mobility proposal is appreciated by both domestic and international visitors with customers seeking not just comfort and exclusivity, but also immersive and customized experiences for every part of their stay, from the cuisine to the accommodation, ro the car journeys which complete the range of services.”

Driverso represents 40 luxury car hire companies 

Some 40 companies, representing the best of luxury car hire and complying with predefined quality standards, currently operate on Driverso, and it is estimated that the sector will grow by over 20% per year in the next 3-5 years. "Driverso," concluded Galassetti, "capitalizes on this trend by making its exclusive services available through a fully digital and fully integrated platform on which anyone can book their driving experiences in Europe." 

The Starhotels group closed 2023 by exceeding a €300 million euro turnover for the first time.

A further 15% increase is expected this year

The €304 million turnover was 25% more than 2023, and 28 % higher than the pre-Covid 2019. Gross operating margins grew, rising to €105 million, an increase of 31% over 2022 and 67% compared to 2019, while the growth trend is predicted to continue this year.  President and CEO Elisabetta Fabri told Il Sole 24 Ore that she expected a further 15% increase in 2024.

Starhotels has 30 properties, of which 28 are owned

As already announced, Starhotel’s expansion plans continue, now aiming to go beyond direct acquisitions to also explore asset-light strategies, including franchising affiliations. The company currently operates a total of 30 properties, of which 28 are owned. Elisabetta Fabri would like to add a dozen more hotels to the portfolio in the next couple of years. The group is chiefly interested in leisure destinations, in particular Forte dei Marmi and Capri, as well as Sicily and Puglia. Mountainous locations are not excluded either, with an eye on Cortina, home of the next Winter Olympics.

The Michelangelo in New York will be repositioned after renovations

For the present there are no further developments in the pipeline abroad, but The Michelangelo in New York will be repositioned after renovations, while further investments are expected for the Castille Paris. Fabrizio Gaggio has joined Starhotels as co-CEO of the group alongside Elisabetta Fabri.

Trenitalia has acquired Alitalia's historic MilleMiglia programme for €1,5 million and is studying possible synergies with its own loyalty cards.

A database of over 6.2 million names 

According to the Italian media the deal amounts to €1.5 million, and comes after almost two and a half years of searching for a buyer and three unsuccessful calls for tenders. The parent company of the Ferrovie dello Stato Group's Passenger Hub will now have a database of over 6.2 million names, which will be added to the more than 10 million subscribers to the Freccia Card, and to the XGO programme for users of regional or Intercity trains.

The Millemiglia programme has 40 ex-Alitalia partners 

Nothing will change for those enrolled in the programme, as the miles accumulated can be used by the next expiry date of the programme, i.e. 31 January 2025. The €1.5 million is lower than the initial request which started in November 2021 at €50,563,000, then dropped to €20 million, while in Spring 2023, for third and final tender ,no figure was fixed. ITA Airways was unable to participate in line with the European Commission's demands following the birth of the newco that took Alitalia's place. Even though Alitalia no longer exists, the card still allows points to be accumulated through a network of some 40 partners. The acquired company, Italia Loyalty, has 30 employees that Trenitalia has committed to keeping and will now be integrated into the Ferrovie dello Stato state railways Group.

Explore Sicily through the unconventional perspective of the island’s matriarchs, old and new, exclusively available at Rocco Forte’s Villa Igiea and Verdura Resort.

Stories of powerful 1900s Sicilian women

Villa Igea and Verdura Resort, Rocco Forte’s luxury Sicilian properties, have launched a new Sicilian Matriarchy experience, inspired by the Belle Époque period socialite Donna Franca Florio. Celebrating the powerful and elegant women who brought creativity to the island in the 1900s, the Sicilian Matriarchy itinerary offers a new way to discover Sicily, with all women-led experiences curated into itineraries for the two respective properties:

The Urban Itinerary at Villa Igea



At Villa Igiea, the urban itinerary consists of five carefully selected locations in Palermo featuring the island’s breathtaking architecture and landscapes. From the Fondazione Federico II visitors move on to discover the Norman Palace and the Palatine Chapel, and the queens that inspired Dante’s Divine Comedy. The itinerary then leads to an unconventional atelier, where the ancient Sicilian art of embroidery is brought back to life through a sustainable production model. And it’s then time to a step back in time with an exclusive chamber music concert in a magnificent liberty-style Palazzo.

Stops at an artist’s atelier and a botanical garden

A contemporary artist from London, who moved to Sicily in search of inspiration, opens her house, inviting guests into her atelier, followed by a tour of her favourite markets and shops in the traditional Ballarò neighbourhood. The tour ends at the Botanical Garden of the Duke of Serradifalco, recently restored to its former glory by the owner and with Princess Licata di Baucina who will take guests on a guided tour.

The Countryside Itinerary at Verdura Resort

At Verdura Resort, Rocco Forte’s 250-hectare countryside estate, the itinerary focuses on how the stories of Italy’s matriarchs continue to unfold in the provincial villages of Sicily. The countryside itinerary starts in Aragona, a town just a few minutes from Agrigento, where local matriarch Maria and her daughter Elena uphold traditions of historical oven-cooked cuisine sharing traditional Sicilian recipes with visitors.

Coral crafts and a couscous cooking class

At the next stop guests are introduced to the art of processing coral with Laura, a fourth-generation goldsmith and coral craftswoman. In the museum and laboratory in her ancient Palazzo in the heart of Sciacca visitors will find authentic coral from the region, renowned for its salmon colours and unique fossil status. Then it’s time to explore the cultural fusion of the Mediterranean diet, led by an award-winning Senegalese Chef. The culinary journey starts with a couscous cooking class, where the main ingredient serves as a key to female empowerment in the small community of Senegalese women in Agrigento, the Valley of the Temples.

For information: roccofortehotels.com/villa-igiea; roccofortehotels.com/hotels-and-resorts/verdura-resort

In an exclusive interview we asked Pietro Monti, co-owner and director of marketing of the 5-star Hotel Mediterraneo, why it is a must to put Sorrento on an Italian itinerary.

A long history of welcoming visitors 

“Sorrento is a must for many reasons, but I have to start with our exceptional sense of hospitality. On the Sorrentine Peninsula we have a long history of welcoming visitors from all over the world. Sometimes I’m asked what kind of specific training we give our staff to enable them to deal so seamlessly with such a wide variety of guests from all walks of life. The answer is that hospitality is in our blood, and not just because our hotel is a family business.  It is something we do with true dedication and passion, and this extends to every member of our team, and to Sorrento in general.”   

“In and around Sorrento, we have 14 Michelin-star restaurants”

The second reason Sorrento has to be included on any itinerary, said Monti, is for its gastronomic variety and excellence.



“Suffice it to say that in a very small area, in and around Sorrento, we have 14 Michelin-star restaurants. Added to which the Hotel Mediterraneo’s Vesuvius Restaurant, under Chef Giuseppe Saccone with his brigade, is renowned for its innovative and often playful take on typical specialties, and we have a wine list with exceptional local wines you will not easily find elsewhere.” Other local products that are unique to the Sorrentine Peninsula, Monti told us, are the lemons from which the town’s renowned Limoncello is made, walnuts, tomatoes and “treccia” mozzarella.  History also abounds in the area, he added: “there are the ruins of the old natural swimming hole which Queen Joanna 1 of Naples used as her summer retreat in the 14th century, as well as Roman remains including Villa Pollio and the many old cisterns under the town’s streets.”    

Sorrento has the most stunning sunsets

“Another unique feature of Sorrento, and one that our guests particularly rave about, are our sunsets over the Bay of Naples and the islands of Procida and Ischia. And they are even more spectacular when seen from our Skybar which is a favourite haunt for its cocktails, gourmet snacks and champagnes.” The Hotel Mediterraneo’s enviable position, we discovered, is another, and a very practical, reason for choosing Sorrento as a base. “Staying here takes a lot of hassle out of visiting the many iconic attractions on the Sorrento and Amalfi coasts. Our hotel is so ideally placed that in less than an hour, you can reach Capri, Ravello, Amalfi, Pompeii and Naples by sea. This a huge plus, especially in the high season when traffic on the coastal drive can add hours to a day’s outing.”

Hotel Mediterraneo: refined luxury and a warm welcome

A further excellent reason not to miss Sorrento is the Hotel Mediterraneo itself. Just a 15-minute walk from Sorrento’s main square, the handsome white Liberty-style property overlooks Naples and Mount Vesuvius, with the island of Capri in the distance. It is a perfect choice for travellers who appreciate refined luxury and the warm hospitality of a "grand home.” With 61 rooms and junior suites - many have balconies with sea, garden and pool views - there is also a spa and an elevator with direct access to the sea and the deck area reserved for hotel guests.  “Sorrento has an excellent range of accommodation of all levels, with many family-run and para-hotels,- added Monti, -there is an abundancechoice for all tastes and budgets.” For information: www.mediterraneosorrento.com