The municipality of Cleto, in the southern region of Calabria, has kicked off an innovative project to revive the town by promoting ancestry tourism, also known as heritage tourism. 

A new destination for Italian-descendantvisitors

With the support of tour operators, local companies, and with great commitment on the part of the citizens of the little township, the project is already achieving tangible results. “We are transforming Cleto into a new destination for Italian descendants,- said Cleto’s mayor, Armando Bossio, - and this March we welcomed the first 25 visitors from Latin America.” Mayor Bossio added that Latin American arrivals are also confirmed through the summer months and that, from September to November, there will also be sizable groups from Canada and Australia. 

“Cleto is only 29 kilometres from Lamezia Terme airport”

Cleto, known as the town of the two castles - one medieval and one Angevin - is a hidden gem in the southern region of Calabria, and strategically located between the sea and the hills. "We are 29 kilometres from Lamezia Terme airport and 25 minutes from the Salerno highway junction,- said Mayor Bossio. -Regular Frecciarossa and Frecciargento trains stop in Amantea, which is just half an hour away and is a popular seaside resort town with beautiful beaches.”  

 Authentic and engaging experiences lasting a month or more

The project, which was successfully inaugurated in early March with the arrival of twenty-four visitors from Argentina, Chile, and Peru, is based on offering an authentic and engaging experience, lasting a month or more. It aims to help those arriving from countries with a strong history of immigration from Italy to rediscover the traditions and lifestyle of their ancestors.  "Many of these visitors choose to extend their stay for several months, completely immersing themselves in the unique atmosphere of Cleto thanks to the stories handed down by their families, and it also contributes to countering school depopulation as visiting children attend the local school, some for extended periods of time.”

80 Canadians and Australians per month from September to November

With guided visits to symbolic places in Calabria and the discovery of typical local products, the project offers guests the opportunity to take Italian courses with local teachers (volunteers, as are all the inhabitants of Cleto) as well as lessons in music, cooking and traditional arts. “We expect increasing visitor flows and have 38 confirmed arrivals in May, 40 in June and 80 Canadians and Australians per month from September to November.” The project, which is attracting great interest both locally and nationally is a major breakthrough for a community of just 1,300 inhabitants, and was given the name “Cleto Model” when it was presented at the Mediterranean Tourism Exchange in Naples earlier this year.

United Airlines has introduced Newark New York-Naples flights and will operate double daily flights during the summer peak.

Up to 11 daily non-stop connections between the US and Italy

With the double daily flights during the summer peak, United will connect the two cities until 26 October 2024, with up to 11 daily non-stop connections between the US and Italy. In addition to the flights from Naples Capodichino United Airlines operates daily year-round connections from New York/Newark to Rome and Milan and seasonal daily connections to Rome from Chicago O'Hare, Washington Dulles and San Francisco, from Chicago O'Hare (the opening of which, again, has been brought forward to 2023) to Milan and Venice to New York/Newark.

“United is offering the largest intercontinental operation ever”

"We are excited to return to Naples with expanded operations, and to allow our customers to book their travel to the United States even earlier this year," said Walter Cianciusi, country sales manager Italy. "For summer 2024 United will offer the largest intercontinental operation ever, with even more travel options thanks to connections from our US hubs to the entire American continent.

“United Airlines is the first American major to fly from New York to Naples”

"The anticipation of United's Newark/Naples flight, the first American major to fly from New York to Naples, shows the strong demand and the enormous connection between the two cities, which share cultural liveliness and latitude - commented Roberto Barbieri, CEO of Gesac -. The airline is doubling its daily frequencies during the summer peak and focusing on a distinctly business product. In addition to New York, the connection with Newark, United's hub, will allow passengers from Naples and Southern Italy to reach the entire American continent more easily". United's transatlantic network for the summer includes non-stop connections from 37 destinations: the carrier's richest offering ever and the highest number of destinations offered by any US carrier.

United Airlines operates more Chicago-Italy flights than any other carrier, and brings forward by almost a month the resumption of its seasonal flights from Chicago O'Hare.

“The most extensive transatlantic summer schedule in United’s history”

United is the only carrier that flies between Chicago and Milan, and operates more flights to Italy from Chicago than any other carrier. "This summer United will operate the most extensive transatlantic summer schedule in its history, offering greater travel choices and the opportunity, through our hubs in the United States, to visit numerous other destinations throughout the Americas," says Walter Cianciusi, country sales manager Italy for the US airline.

“A passenger growth of 70% compared to pre-pandemic” 

"United's choice to serve two such important gateways in the United States completes our airport's strategy and makes us particularly satisfied also by virtue of the traffic results obtained - underlines Andrea Tucci, vice president aviation business development Sea Milan Airports -. The current extension of the seasonality is the result the market's response to the injection of direct capacity to Chicago, with a growth in passenger volumes of 70% compared to the same season pre-pandemic.” 

Operated with Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners 

The routes are operated with Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft configured with a total of 243 seats - 28 flat-bed, fully reclining seats, all with aisle access in United Polaris business class, 21 seats in United Premium Plus class, and 194 seats in economy class, including 36 Economy PlusSM seats with additional legroom.

Up to eleven daily non-stop summer services from the US to Italy 

The extension of seasonal service between Chicago and Milan builds on United's annual daily connections from New York Newark to Milan and Rome as well as seasonal daily flights from New York Newark to Venice and Naples, and from Chicago to Rome, Washington Dulles and San Francisco. The airline will offer up to eleven daily non-stop services from the United States to Italy this summer. 

ITA Airways has launched new direct flights between London City Airport and Rome Fiumicino.

“The UK is an increasingly strategic market for ITA” 

"London City is a reference airport for business traffic, but it is also very interesting for leisure flows - says Emiliana Limosani, chief commercial officer of ITA Airways and CEO of Volare. -The UK is an increasingly strategic market for ITA which this summer offers customers 100 weekly connections between Italy and the UK.” 

Connections to ITA’s domestic and intercontinental network

London City Airport allows passengers to benefit from its proximity to the city centre, and  they will also be able to enjoy convenient connections thanks to the domestic and intercontinental network operated by ITA Airways from its Rome Fiumicino hub. These include i Mediterranean destinations (Italy, Spain and Greece) and South American destinations such as Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires.

ITA also operates London City-Milan Linate flights

The new flights, operating with an Airbus A220-100 and 12 weekly frequencies, are in addition to the existing London City Milan-Linate flight, with four daily frequencies since the beginning of this year. The airline adds a further daily frequency in April, bringing the total number of weekly frequencies to 31 at the peak of the summer season. This route will also be operated with the Airbus A220-100.

Gatwick Airport to Rome Fiumicino starts in June

As a further confirmation of the strategic importance of the United Kingdom, from June the offer in the British market will be enriched by a further seven weekly flights between Gatwick Airport and Rome Fiumicino, bringing the total to 100 weekly flights between the UK and Italy.

The Cappella Hotel in Colfosco, in the Dolomites in the Alta Badia region, is one of the 12 new Relais & Châteaux. 

Two swimming pools and a kid’s play room

The Colfosco in Alta Badia, in the northern South Tyrol region, is among the 12 new entries to the Relais & Châteaux brand. The family-run establishment with 52 rooms, including 11 suites, offers privileged access to the ski area, while in summer it is surrounded by verdant meadows, and is an ideal starting point for hiking or biking. The Cappella Hotel also has two swimming pools, one of which is heated and outdoors, and a spa with a large outdoor relaxation area with mountain views. There is also a playroom for smaller guests, and kids’ activities throughout the year.  

photo credits: Alex Moling

The menu in the restaurant features Mediterranean dishes

The rooms are furnished in a rustic chic style, with much use of natural wood. Many paintings and original handicrafts collected by the owners over 45 years of travel in 80 countries are on display in the corridors, and there is also an art gallery, where numerous paintings and sculptures are on display. In the restaurant the chef invites guests to enjoy Mediterranean dishes, prepared with local produce and freshly picked herbs from the hotel garden.

Delta Air Lines, reactivating daily flights from New York JFK to Venice's Marco Polo airport, will operate 17 weekly flights from the US to the lagoon city.  

Connecting flights to over 200 cities in North America and beyond

Furthermore, for the first time, the airline will offer two weekly flights from Atlanta to Venice by March and will add a second flight to this destination throughout the summer. The carrier will operate a total of 17 weekly flights between the United States and Venice during the peak summer season and will offer connecting flights to more than 200 cities across North America and beyond.

“Our flights represent important business and tourism opportunities” 

“This summer Delta offers its passengers an even greater choice of connections between the United States and Venice - says Matteo Curcio, senior vice president for Europe, Middle East, Africa and India.  Venice is one of the most beautiful destinations in the world and is very popular with US travellers. Our flights also represent important business and tourism opportunities for the city and the region, and an unparalleled opportunity for Venetians to discover diverse destinations across the Americas.”

Over one million passengers between North America and Venice in 2023

“The resumption of Delta Air Lines flights from New York and Atlanta confirms the constant growth of flows between North America and Venice, with over one million passengers in the last year,- adds Camillo Bozzolo, aviation development director at the Save Group. -The increase to 10 weekly flights on the Atlanta-Venice route will further expand the offer of destinations in North, Central and South America."

Two new openings in Italy for the Radisson group in Rome and Sardinia. 

The Roma Antica is the Radisson Collections’ second Roman property 

In Rome, the Radisson Collection Roma Antica has just opened. The 5-star 84-room hotel created from the conversion of Palazzo Lares Permarini is in Via delle Botteghe Oscure, close to the central Piazza Venezia square. The hotel has a gym, a spa, a restaurant and a bar with panoramic views on the top floor. During the renovation the remains of the walls of the Porticus Minucia, with traces of the polychrome marbles, were found. The Roma Antica will be the second Radisson Collection hotel in Rome and the sixth in Italy.

Seven Radisson openings are planned in Italy for 2024 and 2025

At the end of last year the Fattore Italia hotel company signed a leasing contract for the Sardinian Parco Torre di Chia, previously operated by TH Resorts. The property is spread over 100,000 sqm and is currently undergoing renovations, with the aim of repositioning it from the midscale to the 5-star segment. Expected to reopen in June, the resort will be renamed Veridia Resort and will be part of the Radisson Collection. The hotel group headed by Jin Jiang International Holdings is making strides in Italy. According to the vice president of business development Italy, Mauro Vinci, there are seven Radisson openings planned in Italy between now and 2025, for a total of over 1,200 new rooms.

Venice's Bauer Hotel has been taken over by King Street Capital Management.

The Baur is one of the most prestigious hotels in Venice

Following Signa's disavowals that the property would be put on the market after the default of the Austrian group founded by René Benko, there were rumors of potential interest from MSC owner Gianluigi Aponte. Now the saga of one of the most prestigious hotels in Venice gets a new twist. According to the local newspapers Il Gazzettino and La Nuova Venezia, the hotel has been taken over by the US fund King Street Capital Management, which is one of the main financiers of Signa. 

Plans to rebrand the Bauer Hotel as a Rosewood 

However, the fate of Bauer has not yet been definitively decided. While King Street would seem intent on selling the asset, the project to redevelop the hotel with a view to rebranding it Rosewood remains on paper for the time being. Work has been at a standstill since last December, and the employees have not been paid since February. The original idea was to build around 90 suites by 2025, as well as a series of high-end shops, with the total value of the complex in the region of €600 million upon completion of the restyling. At the time of Elliott's 100% purchase of the property in 2019, the hotel had been valued at €400 million (Signa had acquired it in 2020. Ed).

A Four Seasons rebranding for the Danieli Hotel? 

This is King Street's second foray into Venetian hospitality. The US fund already participated, together with Starwood Capital Group, in the €330 million bond issue with which the Statuto group refinanced the Danieli Hotel, launching a €30 million restyling with a view to a rebranding as Four Seasons.

The guide The Itinerary of Beauty 2024, a journey through 25 Marche towns, has been presented in Rome.

This year’s edition of the guide has five new entries

The Itinerary of Beauty 2024, the guide devised by Confcommercio Marche Nord to promote the most evocative locations in the province, was presented in Rome’s Palazzo Giustiani.  Introducing this latest edition, the director of the Confcommercio Marche Nord business association, Amerigo Varotti, pointed out that this year there are five new entries in the guide, bringing to total number of towns to 25. These new entries are: Acqualagna (famous for its truffles),  Borgo Pace (home to the Romanesque abbey of San Michele Arcangelo), Macerata Feltria (one of the most beautiful small towns in Italy), Carpegna (a mountain town in Montefeltro) and Monte Grimano Terme (another beautiful town with a traditional urban spiral layout). 

“Ours is an example envied throughout Italy”

Commenting on the importance of this guide Senator De Poli said: "The Itinerary of Beauty is a virtuous example of collaboration between local authorities, such as municipalities, and economic categories such as Confcommercio. For Varotti the Itinerary of Beauty is “an example envied throughout Italy, since it is not clear how it is possible to effectively network so many municipalities. Ours is a model that can inspire others.  It is not just a way to promote our territory, but also to manage local museums and tourist offices as well as communicating."  

A cashback loyalty card and a new website

Among the novelties of 2024 is the introduction of Valore Bellezza, a loyalty card with a cashback system that will contribute to the revival of local commerce.  While from 1 May it will be possible to virtually visit the 25 municipalities now on the itinerary thanks to the new website itinerariodellabellezza.it.  The Itinerary of Beauty 2024 is a printed guide that is distributed at major international trade fairs and through regional tourist offices. 

Funds are available for small municipalities with a tourism vocation 

For Marco Bruschini, director of Atim, the Agency for Tourism and Internationalization of the Marche, promoting the region requires "pride, awareness and professionalism", while according to Ivana Jelic, managing director of ENIT S.p.A, the Italian national tourist board, the province of Pesaro Urbino sums up the characteristics of Italy "which differs from one kilometre to the next." Recalling the €34 million earmarked for small municipalities with a vocation for tourism, Gianluca Caramanna, advisor to the minister of tourism, stressed the need to "increase arrivals and overnights, but also turnover, in a logic of deseasonalization."