AI was a burning topic at the Global Travel Tech Thinktank, held as part of WiT Singapore 2023, with key industry leaders brainstorming the way forward for travel in the age of artificial intelligence. 

Tossing around ideas under the umbrella theme of The Possibilities & Responsibilities of Travel In The Age of AI and Tech the experts agreed that the upside is that AI could indeed unlock unprecedented levels of personalization, enhance customer experience, and streamline operations. But, they warned, there is also a downside that “poses hazards, could result in job displacement and bias in decision-making as well as giving rise to privacy concerns.” 

They concluded on an upbeat note saying that AI opens up many possibilities for travel. “The key is to start internally, start small, and try it out in collaboration with other industry players, governments, and regulators with the aim of ensuring data protection, ethical standards, and social responsibility.” 

Pamela McCourt Francescone
Executive Editor

On 4 November until 23 March 2024, LOT Polish Airlines, a member of Star Alliance, will launch new weekly Milan Malpensa-Rzeszów-Jasionka flights.

The new flights are available on www.lot.com

Every Saturday flights, operated with modern Embraer 170 aircraft,  will depart at 4.50 pm from Rzeszów and land in Milan at 7.05 pm with the return flight from Milan-Malpensa to Rzeszów departing at 7.45 pm and arriving at 9.45 pm. Tickets are available through all LOT Polish Airlines’ booking channels including www.lot.com. 

“Our flights provide many travel options”

“We are excited to add a Milan-Rzeszów nonstop service to our scheduled flight network," says Amit Ray, director Italy, DACH markets and India, and head of global corporate and strategic sales. “We are experiencing significant demand in Italy for travel to Poland. While our flights from Milan Malpensa, Venice and Rome to our global hub at Warsaw's Chopin Airport (WAW), as well as flights from Rome to Radom, already provide many travel options for our Italian customers, they can now easily explore the south-eastern part of Poland by flying nonstop from Milan to Rzeszów.”

Present in the sky since 1929, the Polish carrier is the 12th oldest airline worldwide, and is one of the most internationally recognisable Polish brands.

All the "goodness" of Merano’s Christmas markets can be found from 24 November until 8 January with the Emperor's Omelette, Michelin-starred chefs and cooking courses.  

A Michelin-starred chef in a chalet

How “good” Merano is... and even more so during the period of the Christmas markets which, from 24 November last up to 6 February. Don’t miss these gastronomic festivities with a Michelin-starred chef cooking in a chalet right in the centre of town and cookery courses to learn how to prepare the local dumplings as well as the famous Emperor's Omelette.  

Egon Heiss

Produce from Frangsburg Castle’s Soul Garden

Egon Heiss, the Michelin-starred chef of the gourmet restaurant Prezioso in Fragsburg Castle, takes over the Piazza della Rena square which is framed by historic buildings. In a chalet in the Christmas Village he will prepare dishes that sum up the spirit of his South Tyrolean cuisine in an Alpine-Mediterranean version. He uses ingredients that are regional, and often from the Fragsburg Soul Garden, a social project for disadvantaged young people in Labers, a hamlet of Merano, from which his team selects only the freshest vegetables, berries, and herbs.

Cookery courses in the Taste Academy

Visitors can put themselves to the test in the Taste Academy courses, learning how to make traditional South Tyrolean Christmas biscuits, Spätzle dumplings and Schlutzer, the local ravioli. While desserts range from the classic strudel to Strauben sweet pancakes. For information: www.taste-academy.it  

Pierfrancesco Carino, vice president international sales of ITA Airways, speaking at the Wtm, outlined the carrier’s plans for nearby and transcontinental markets. 

New Milan Linate-London City flights

"At Wtm we launched something new specifically for the British market. ITA Airways is launching three three daily flights from Milan Linate to London City with the new Airbus 220-100. This is a highly innovative product, in fact we are the only ones covering this route, and the frequency is designed specifically for London, Italian and international business travel.

4 daily flights connecting South America to Rome

In addition last week we introduced Rio de Janeiro, so we are strengthening our investment in South America where we now fly to São Paulo and Buenos Aires. ITA Airways now has four daily flights connecting South America and Rome. In addition we are focusing on North America, where we operate 122 weekly frequencies on six gateways. And we have announced the opening of the seventh destination with a frequency to Chicago, to be followed in May by Toronto in Canada.”

“Waiting for the green light from the European Commission”

The ITA Airways fleet currently counts 82 aircraft with plans to boost this to 96 planes next year, “with the focus on sustainability. The Lufthansa-ITA Airways agreement?  “At the moment we are waiting for the green light from the European Commission.” 

CdsHotels is making significant moves for 2024/2025, with the Riva Marina Resort, a major development in Puglia.

Riva Marina will have 587 rooms and almost 2,200 beds

With its expansion the Riva Marina Resort in Carovigno is set to become Puglia's largest property, while the group is also repositioning of Pietrablu in Polignano a Mare as a 4-star superior hotel tailored for couples. “The project involves a Capex investment of approximately €15 million, with 25% funded by the Puglia region, for the construction of 131 rooms and 13 rooms allocated for staff, in addition to the existing 443,” states the company's commercial director, Ada Miraglia. This brings the total to 587 rooms and nearly 2,200 beds.

Riva Marina is scheduled to reopen in 2025

Further enhancements include the addition of a second 400 sqm swimming pool with an outdoor bar and solarium, along with another tennis court and a five-a-side football pitch. The reopening is scheduled for the beginning of 2025. “The idea is to have a property of sufficient size to host significant Mice events, previously held in Terrasini in Sicily," continues Ada Miraglia. Additionally, a proposal for a 1,500-seat conference hall is awaiting authorisation, complementing the existing spaces for 900 delegates.

Pietrablu is undergoing a restyling

Pietrablu is a resort managed under a rental contract. “We are currently finalising the estimates, with works expected to commence in November and conclude by March 2024,” says Ada Miraglia. Following the restyling, the hotel will have 23 Comfort rooms, 122 suites, 41 deluxe suites, and five deluxe top-view suites. Guests will enjoy B&B and half-board treatment, a bar, two restaurants, a private beach, swimming pool, sports fields, and expansive green areas as well as a 700 sqm spa.

France is the leading market followed by Germany

These investments follow a truly positive summer for the group which closed the season with a +17% turnover compared to both 2022 and 2019, on a like-for-like basis. The demand primarily comes from Northern and Central Italy, with French visitors representing 9% of arrivals this year, and surpassing Germany as the group's leading international market.

Record bookings for Italian Small Luxury Hotels, which in 2023 generated revenues 65% higher than last year. 

Three new 2023 openings bring the total to 77

With three new openings in 2023, La Roqqa in Porto Ercole, Cape of Senses in Torri del Benaco and Furore on the picturesque Amalfi Coast, the SLH collection now totals 77 properties in Italy. "A deep affection binds us to Italy, which is also our flagship destination since the brand's launch in 1990,- says SLH's chief operating officer, Richard Hyde. 

“The 65% increase in Italian bookings exceeded our forecasts"

“This year Italian bookings exceeded our forecasts, posting a remarkable 65% increase in revenue year-on-year. Our guests continue to be fascinated by Italy's cultural and scenic heritage, thanks in part to the vast selection of elegant historic residences in our portfolio."

As announced a few months ago the IHG group is to open a 50-room Indigo hotel in Turin. 

The hotel is undergoing renovation, and expected to have 50 rooms

The opening of the new Indigo hotel is scheduled for 2024, in the former Grand Hotel Venezia. The property in Via XX Settembre 70 is currently operated under the name Chc Torino Castello: a 4-star hotel with 48 rooms. InterContinental has signed a franchising agreement with the property, the Rimini-based City Hotels Company (Chc) Holding group, which will continue to manage the hotel which is currently undergoing renovation, and expected to have 50 rooms.

Rotten Indigo’s portfolio has four hotels in Italy

Rotten Indigo's portfolio currently includes four hotels in Italy. In addition to Turin, two further expansions are planned: in February 2024, the 160-room 4-star hotel Florence is scheduled to open in cooperation with Grape Hospitality Group, while another 109-room 4-star hotel in Trieste (formerly Palazzo Kallister) is planned for 2025.

28 midscale, upscale and luxury IHG hotels in Italy

IHG is also planning the opening of the 224-room Holiday Inn Express Rome Airport in the coming months, in collaboration with the Borealis Hotels Group, while the debut of the 150-room 5-star Six Senses Antognolla, in the province of Perugia, is already scheduled for next year, and the Six Senses Milano in Via Brera in 2026. Finally, in the first half of 2025 the new Vignette Collection brand will make its entrance in Italy, with the 81-room 5-star Alexandra Hotel in Rome. IHG currently boasts a portfolio of 28 properties in Italy, with a total of 4,300 rooms, under six different brands in the midscale, upscale and luxury segments.

Milan Malpensa airport has inaugurated Welcome to Italy Access Point, the first information desk for Chinese visitors.

A valuable new tool for arriving Chinese visitors 

Providing directions, services and assistance to travellers arriving from China, in addition to being a point of cultural exchange, the Access Point - created jointly by Sea Aeroporti di Milano, Italy China Council Foundation-ICCF and Guang Hua Cultures et Media (Italy) - also represents an opportunity to understand consumer needs. Passengers will be able to access useful information regarding transport, shopping and the attractions of the city and the area through a specific QR code. This QR code will allow them to access the YesMilano WeChat channel, guaranteeing immediate access to all the information they need.

“We are the fastest growing gateway to China in Europe”

Brunini Armando“This new initiative confirms our commitment to services aimed at the Chinese market,-  says Armando Brunini, CEO of SEA Milan Airports. “With the arrival of new companies and the consolidation of those already present, Malpensa connects Milan and the entire north Italy to China, offering direct flights to seven major Chinese cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Wenzhou, Hong Kong, Nanjing, Shenzhen and Zhengzhou. Currently, Air China, Cathay Pacific, Juneyao Airlines, Hainan Airlines and Eva Air to Taipei operate at our airport. We are the only Italian airport with a direct connection served by an Italian carrier, Neos, thus offering a total of 32 weekly frequencies. We are the fastest growing gateway in Europe and we are applying to be one of the Preferred Gateways for traffic from China.”

“We are certain Chinese visitors will grow”

“We believe this initiative is a useful and functional service for Chinese tourists who, we are certain, will continue to grow,” underlines Mario Boselli, president of the Italy China Council Foundation-ICCF. “Italy’s beauty and lifestyle are recognised the world over, and loved in particular by the Chinese. Offering them a warm welcome upon arrival is certainly the best way to ensure that we remain a popular destination, with constantly growing flows from the East.”

Ryanair Cagliari-Perugia flights are the novelty for Umbria Airport’s winter 2023-24 season which is operative until next March 29.

Ryanair, Wizz Air and Albawings flights

The Ryanair flights to and from Cagliari will be operated also during the winter months with two weekly frequencies scheduled on Fridays and Sundays. Ryanair connections with London Stansted (with between three and six frequencies a week), Catania (between two and three frequencies a week) and Palermo (two frequencies a week) are also confirmed. Wizz Air and Albawings will operate flights to and from Tirana with three and two frequencies per week respectively. 

The new services include a family and a fast track

The new services in San Francesco d’Assisi airport’s terminal include new charging stations for electronic devices, free and unlimited WI-FI, a smoking area, a business lounge, new shops and car rentals, a new bar in the sterile area, a courtesy line for families and passengers with reduced mobility, a fast track, a new gate, turnstiles for e-ticket reading and a new security gate. Outside the terminal, more than 200 new parking spaces have been added, with a dedicated space for bicycles, two parking spaces for recharging electric cars and, last but not least, a new road system and new signage.