The penetration of hotel chains is growing in Italy and, for the first time, they have surpassed 20% of available rooms. The time-lapse created by Thrends, which publishes the biannual Chains Monitor Italy, shows that over the last decade the hotel industry has experienced a significant evolution in its development and growth models, consolidating in a similar way to the dynamics of European and Anglo-Saxon markets. In a nutshell, from 2013 to 2023 chain hotels have risen from just over 1,300 to 2,200 (+65%), while rooms have increased from 146,000 to over 216,000 (+48%).
In terms of rooms the penetration of brands has thus increased from 13.4% in 2013 to 20.1% today. On the other hand, the average size of branded hotels has dropped from the 110 rooms of 2013 to 99 rooms today. This is due to the proliferation of lifestyle brands which are more flexible in terms of size and therefore more suited to Italy’s real estate and hospitality landscape.
"The penetration rate of chains in Italy is still among the lowest in Europe,- explains Thrends' senior analyst, Irina Hernández. -But the interest of international investors in Italy, especially in the luxury segment, and the decrease in the number of hotel rooms, will most likely see brands rising from the current 20.1% to over 22% over the next three years.”
Brands, and international chains in particular, continue to prioritize the top four Italian cities, with Rome, Milan, Venice and Florence having the highest number of chain hotels (39% of the total). The pressure of global players has never been so strong: at the close of the census there were 155 international brands in Italy, against 75 just ten years ago, which is a 100% growth. The groups with the largest number of hotels are Bwh, Accor, Marriott International, B&B Hotels and Minor Hotels, which hold 19% of the branded properties in Italy, while the top three domestic chains (by number of hotels) are Gruppo Una, Apogia Hotels and Iti Hotels.
Massimiliano Sarti
Journalist
