Italy continues to captivate American visitors with arrivals up 22% through August 2025.  

1.4 million US arrivals through August 2025

According to the Italian Ministry of Tourism, 2024 saw over 8.1 million arrivals, 23.7 million overnight stays (ISTAT), and €6.4 billion in spending (Bank of Italy). In the first eight months of 2025 total of 1.4 million US arrivals were recorded (+2.2%) and more than 765,000 are expected September through December, +9.4% (National Travel and Tourism Office), for more than €2.8 billion spent in the first half of this year (Bank of Italy). These numbers paint the US market as one of the most important for Italian tourism, which these days sees Minister Daniela Santanchè on a government mission to Washington.

The US degree of satisfaction is 86.1/100

United States visitors are those who spend the most in Italy, with €191.1 per night on average and 10.3 nights, rising to 12 in the first eight months of 2025 (Embassy of Italy Washington). In addition, US tourists are the most satisfied with Italy, with a degree of satisfaction at 86.1/100, which is well above average, indicating a more than positive trend in the US perception of Italy (The Data Appeal Company). The 2024-2025 numbers confirm a strong bond between Italy and US tourists, suggesting positive prospects and opportunities for further development for the tourism industry and for relations between the two nations, also in view of the more than 17 million Americans of Italian origin estimated to live in the US.

The KKM Group, a pioneer of experiential tourism, is back in the spotlight with the YesWeGooo marketplace.

A journey of steady growth

The YesWeGooo marketplace is dedicated to experiences that combine technology, digital training and marketing tools with the aim of building a collaborative ecosystem that encourages agents' creativity.  “YesWeGooo is a natural evolution of the KKM Group's journey: not only as a supplier offering products and solutions designed to make agents more competitive and incisive on the market, but also as a container where partner agencies can upload and share their own itineraries based on specialized themes.  It has taken us several years to define our positioning and reach our target segment, - says Andrea Cani, CEO KKM Group, - and we continue to develop, adding new goals and opportunities. 

Technical and promotional support

“Now we want to focus on agencies that are ready to take on theme and specialized group travel, linked to personal passions or initiatives in which they are directly involved. We support them both for the technical realization of the trips as well as promotionally, using social and digital tools while offering them a marketplace where they can distribute their products and broaden their user base."

Building an integrated system between agencies and tour operators

The KKM Group’s preview of its 2026 programming, which already has 57 product themes designed to intercept different passions and interests: from the world of sport to major international events, from wellness to cultural itineraries, and from food to entertainment. “The partnerships we are developing, - adds Dario Panella, CEO & founder of YesWeGooo,-  "show our commitment to building an integrated system between agencies and tour operators.”

Key global decision makers are set to converge for WTM London’s Ministers’ Summit this November, traditionally the world’s largest annual gathering of tourism leaders, each year.

Taking place on Tuesday 4^th November, the event will once again be held in association with UN Tourism and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), moderated by Christian Fraser, Chief Presenter at BBC News. Taking place in the new Maritime Suite, George V Room 1 (part of Excel London’s newest expansion), the summit, now in its 19th year, is expected to showcase its most impactful lineup so far, building on momentum from previous events.

Last year, the summit brought together over 50 Tourism Ministers - a 12% increase on 2023 and record figure to date. A growth which reflects an overall uptake in attendance for WTM London, with 2025 on track to become the largest in the event's 45-year history.

This year, the summit, ‘Reimagining Tourism Investment Models: Building Next-Generation Incentives’, will explore innovative approaches to tourism investment and forward-looking incentives, aligning with the show’s overarching conference theme of ‘Reimagining Travel in a Changing World’. Building on last year’s discussion, which focused on artificial intelligence, this year’s summit will address key topics such as the integration of emerging technologies to unlock new markets, tools to align investment with national economic transformation agendas and how to diversify tourism investment for long-term resilience.

With tourism entering a decisive stage of transformation, the summit will present clear steps to take tourism investment models from traditional and service-based to strategic and forward-looking.

Elsewhere on Tuesday 4^th November, WTM London’s wider conference programme will see the return of the Sustainability and Geo-economics summits, as well as the unveiling of the latest WTM Global Travel Report, with the Technology and DEAI summits to follow the next day. The final day of the event will feature the Marketing summit, ITT Future You Forum and closing keynote session, with a soon to be announced special guest.

Chris Carter-Chapman, WTM London Event Director, said: “As the world’s most influential travel show, we’re delighted to be hosting the Minister’s Summit once more, particularly after such a strong attendance last year. WTM London has an undoubted impact at policy level, leading the way in top level discussion about the key issues affecting global tourism. As the industry adapts to challenges such as conflict and climate change, and opportunities like those presented by technological advances, it’s important to come together to share best practice and consider how we can harness tourism as a force for good.”

SkyAlps is planning international growth at Bolzano Airport: for winter 2025-26, the company will in fact be flying to the new destinations of Dresden and Warsaw.

Giving passengers greater flexibility

Dresden will be connected twice a week (Wednesdays and Sundays) from December, while the route to Warsaw will be operated every Friday from December. The South Tyrolean carrier is thus expanding its international network with two important cultural and economic hubs, while at the same time opening up new opportunities for winter tourism. The connection to Copenhagen, already operated in past winter seasons, will be significantly expanded in response to the high demand and will be offered up to three times a week, thus giving passengers greater flexibility in planning their journey.

Bolzano will have 11 European connections

The route to Hanover, already established in the summer season, will also be operated for the first time during the winter months. With the new winter operation, passengers departing from Bolzano will have 11 direct connections to European metropolises and important regional centres to choose from. The winter network includes - in addition to those already mentioned - flights to Antwerp, Hamburg, Berlin, Duesseldorf, Gothenburg, London Gatwick and Billund.

The project for the rail link from Mestre station to Venice airport is expected by late 2026 or early 2027.

An 8-kilometer line of which 3.5 above ground

The underground terminal station will be ready by June 2026, and the first trains by December with trains running in 2027 as was confirmed on 16 October, on during Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini's inspection in Tessera. The link will have an 8-kilometre line, of which 3.5 kilometres above ground and the rest below, and connecting the Venice-Trieste to the Venice’s Marco Polo AIrport. A €644 million project, with a major viaduct of 540 metres and 18 spans, over the Dese river.

Two tracks for up to 60 trains a day

The railway station at Venice’s Marco Polo airport will be 30 metres deep, and will have two tracks able to accommodate up to 60 trains a day. For Enrico Marchi, president of Save, the company that manages the Venetian airport and is contributing €50 million to the project, the new service will change the quality of the airport experience.

“The first train will depart between end 2026 and early 2027” 

“There has been some delay, due to the appeals that were filed and some archaeological findings, but we can now point to the period between the end of 2026 and the beginning of 2027 as an achievable date for the departure of the first train,” said Marchi.

World Travel Market London, organised by RX, announces that the ITT Future You Forum will take place at this year’s event, continuing a partnership that has been in place since 2009.

ITT Future You is an initiative founded by the Institute of Travel and Tourism to inspire the next generation of aviation, travel, tourism and hospitality professionals. It acts as a bridge between the education sector and industry and has been developing a portfolio of collaborations focused on helping travel and tourism students find jobs, introduce them to mentors and offer networking opportunities with peers and industry leaders.

The forum has taken place at WTM London every year since 2009. It regularly attracts more than 500 students and graduates, making it one of the most attended sessions over the three days.

WTM London 2025 returns to ExCeL London from 4–6 November, with this year’s Future You Forum taking place on Thursday in the Orange Theatre, from 10:45am to 12:00pm, followed by a 30-minute student networking session. Under the theme ‘Reimagining Travel in a Changing World’, the forum will explore how evolving global policies and shifting traveller behaviours are reshaping the industry. As Gen Z seek careers that align with their values—particularly around sustainability, cultural connection, and social impact—they are redefining what it means to build a career in travel, pushing the industry to adapt and innovate.

The line-up for ITT Future You is currently being finalised, with a number of high-profile executives already confirmed, including Kate Irwin, managing director EMEA at travel intelligence media company Skift, as well as a panel of this year’s TTG 30 under 30 Tomorrow’s Travel Leader’s.

Last year’s forum was one of the most successful ever, with speakers including Jo Ryzmowska, best known for her leadership roles at Royal Caribbean Group across two decades and recent recipient of an MBE for her commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the travel and tourism sectors.

As well as the annual forum at WTM London, ITT Future You is active year-round. It’s “On the Road” initiative is the branding for a series of events it runs for tourism students at UK universities. It is also building a global presence, running ITT Future You events in Brazil and Kenya in partnership with the Global Travel and Tourism Partnership, as well as a series of online industry-led masterclasses.

Claire Steiner, Chair of Education and Training at the Institute of Travel and Tourism and ITT Future You co-founder comments: “Our longstanding relationship with WTM London has helped ITT Future You to cement its role as the leading industry led student initiative helping inspire and deliver more value for tourism students and recent graduates.”

Chris Carter-Chapman, Event Director at WTM London, comments: “ITT Future You is an initiative that WTM is proud to support. We are very much looking forward to welcoming the best and brightest students and graduates to the world’s most influential travel and tourism event this November.

Our collaboration with ITT Future You is all about human connection and making sure that there is a pipeline of talented and committed individuals keen to join our vitally important global industry.”