Ryanair is taking centre stage in Calabria and launched this expansion on 3 April with the arrival of the second aircraft based at Lamezia airport.

In the heart of Rome, just a short walk from the Piazza Venezia square, Largo di Torre Argentina is a window into Rome’s historic heart. 

Julius Caesar was assassinated here

On this archaeological site, shrouded in mystery and history, ancient ruins stand as the capital’s busy traffic swirls endlessly around the square.  Most famously, this was the scene of Julius Caesar’s assassination on March 15, 44 BCE. In what was once a sacred area, the great leader met his fate at the hands of a group of conspirators, betrayed by those he once trusted. Stabbed many times, Caesar fell and his assassination sent shockwaves through Rome, altering its course forever and paving the way for the rise of the Roman Empire. Looking down onto these ruins today, one can almost picture the fateful Ides of March, the hear those whispers of betrayal.

Largo di Torre Argentina ph Credit Chabe01

The remains of ancient Roman temples

The site houses four Republican-era temples, with Temple B believed to honor Fortuna Huiusce Diei, commemorating a military victory in 101 BCE. The remains of these buildings, with their broken columns and worn foundations, stand as silent sentinels of Rome’s grandeur, and remind us of a city that once ruled the known world.  

Credit Andy Rush Santa Barbera

A cat sanctuary

Adding to the charm of the Largo di Torre Argentina ruins, a colony of stray cats roams the site,  and it is now a cat sanctuary which is run by volunteers. These feline inhabitants weave between ancient stones, basking on sun-warmed ruins and peering curiously at visitors. Thanks also to the cats Largo di Torre Argentina has become one of the city’s attractions, drawing not just history buffs but also animal lovers who come to admire the ruins and the cats.  

Rome is a potpourri of old and new

The area’s history is reflected in its name which is taken from a Medieval tower built by a papal official who constructed his residence over ancient ruins, as was common in Rome’s ever-evolving landscape.  Walking along the viewing platforms one can imagine the days of ancient rituals, as every stone tells a story, reminding us that in Rome, the past is never far away.

ITA Airways will join Star Alliance in 2026, having received approval to start the integration process from the alliance's executive board.

“ITA's entry into the alliance strengthens our global network”

The process following entry into the Lufthansa Group can therefore proceed at full speed, with ITA's official entry into the Star Alliance network as a full member scheduled “for early 2026,-says Theo Panagiotoulias, the alliance's chief executive officer. - The decision of our executive board underlines the strong confidence that our member carriers have in ITA Airways. As a gateway to Italy, ITA's entry into the alliance strengthens our global network, ensuring smoother and more comfortable air travel and connections for more passengers worldwide.”

Significant growth, particularly in Rome and Milan

ITA will add 360 daily flights to the Star Alliance network, strengthening its presence in the European region. The most significant growth will be in its main cities, particularly Rome and Milan, which are currently served by a total of 16 Star Alliance member carriers. 

The Star Alliance network will have 26 members

“We are thrilled to join Star Alliance and to bring the excellence of Made in Italy to the alliance, further increasing its global reach,- said Joerg Eberhart, CEO and general manager of Ita Airways. -Joining the alliance is a significant step in ITA's growth and we look forward to offering our customers the future privileges of the world's largest airline network.” Once the integration is complete, the Star Alliance network will grow to include 26 member airlines, offering over 18,000 daily flights and connecting 192 countries.

Sardinia’s participation in the ItaliAbsolutely Village at the Las Vegas Travel Agent Forum was the first time the region was present at a U.S. travel show.

The U.S. is Sardinia’s first non-European market

“This is the first of a series of initiatives for 2025,- said regional tourism councillor Franco Cuccureddu. – This travel show has a select number of travel professional attendees which means they are here to do business. Equally important is the fact that there has been strong growth in Sardinia from the American market. The latest data shows there has been a growth of 36% in arrivals and 34% in overnights compared to the previous year, which places the United States as the tenth foreign market overall, and as the first non-European market. We also have a concentration of these visitors in 5-star and 5-star luxury hotels, and since we are an island with some transport difficulties, we are interested in working on quality rather than quantity, which is why the US market is extremely interesting for us” 

“Sardinia is very competitive both in terms of price and quality”

“Interacting with operators, travel agents or tourism professionals from the US and Canada it was clear that Sardinia was seen as a sun and sea destination, and compared to other popular destinations for US travellers like French Polynesia, the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean, we are very competitive both in terms of price and quality. The problem is that we are only open for a few weeks a year. While the Maldives has a season long eight months, ours is only eight weeks, so here we have also brought products that can be attractive at different times of year as well as being complementary to a beach holiday.  These include hiking, shopping, visiting towns and villages and archaeology, in short, products linked to the outdoors like hiking and walking trails and cycle routes and more. Sardinia is focusing a lot on these and the Americans really like them”  

From centenarians to food to prison tours

Sardinia also presented unusual products like Bruzzone, the Land of Centenarians, which has already attracted some groups of Americans in search of the elixir of life, said Councillor Cuccureddu who added that there was much interest in Sardinia’s excellent gastronomy, its national parks and in an international project devised a few years ago with the then governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger. “We created a network between the three great prison islands of the world: Alcatraz, Robben Island where Mandela was imprisoned and the Asinara where mafia bosses were kept.  It is estimated that 97.5% of the people in the world have never been into a prison, so there is a lot of curiosity about how people live in prisons. It is a small target but an interesting one because these three large maximum security prison islands are all island national parks, and they are all protected marine reserves, and ornithological centres so they have a lot in common.  

A high level of satisfaction for the contacts made

“Regarding our participation at the ItaliAbsolutely Village the Region is happy when the operators are happy. We are monitoring their level of satisfaction which I reckon to be very high in the sense that that there have been a lot of contacts, some completely new while others have been with professionals who already work with Sardinia, so it's a matter of consolidating relationships. The degree of satisfaction is really very high and therefore I believe we will propose this participation again in the future.” 

Aeroitalia has launched its new Rome Fiumicino-Lublin route on which it will offer 12,000 seats this summer.

The first flight from Rome to Lublin

The ceremony at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport for the inaugural flight was attended by institutional representatives, industry operators and journalists. Federico Scriboni, aviation business development director of Aeroporti di Roma, pointed out that “The introduction of this new Aeroitalia flight will connect Rome to Lublin for the first time.”

Tuesday and Saturday B737-800 flights

Poland is one of the key European markets for Rome, which has seen its passenger flow double over the last five years, exceeding the historic threshold of 1.3 million passengers in 2024 and marking a growth of over 50% over the previous record in 2023. The new Rome-Lublin route will be operated twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, by a Boeing 737-800, with a total capacity of approximately 11,718 seats until the end of the summer season.

Ethnic traffic will play a role in the route’s success

“Lublin is a destination with excellent potential, especially for leisure travel, but it also attracts visitors from all over southern Italy,- said Massimo Di Perna, co-CEO of Aeroitalia. -Today, with the inaugural flight, we have 120 passengers arriving and 100 departing, while for 5 April the seats on board are all sold out. On the flights to and from Poland there will also be significant ethnic traffic, given that there is a large and well-established Polish community in Italy.” 

American Airlines confirms its Philadelphia-Venice flights and will debut flights from Dallas on 6 June.

“Italy is one of our main European destinations”

“Venice is an increasingly popular summer destination in our international network,- said José Freig, VP international and contact centre operations American Airlines. -The resumption of seasonal flights between our Philadelphia hub and Venice, as well as the new flights from Dallas Fort Worth highlight our commitment to supporting Italy as one of the main European destinations in our growing network.”

Up to two daily flights from Dallas Fort Worth to Venice 

Philadelphia International Airport is the carrier's main transatlantic hub on the East Coast and offers passengers numerous connections for onward travel with connecting flights to over 120 destinations in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. Flights between Philadelphia and Venice will be operated by Boeing 787-8 aircraft. The Dallas Fort Worth-Venice route will be operated by Boeing 777-200s and Boeing 787-8s, with up to two daily flights during the 2025 summer season. Dallas is the airline's largest hub and offers passengers numerous onward connections to over 230 destinations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America. 

Connecting flights to Mexico and Central America

“With the flight from the Dallas hub, which is in addition to the resumption of the connection from the Philadelphia hub, American Airlines‘ offer at Venice airport takes an important leap in quality, serving both macro-areas of the south-west and the east coast of the United States,- said Camillo Bozzolo, aviation development director Save Group. -The new Dallas route is part of our strategy to develop a wider network of connections with intercontinental hubs, allowing us to reach Mexico and Central America with convenient connections.

At the LVTAF Las Vegas Travel Agent Forum, we interviewed industry experts who highlighted Italy's growing popularity among American tourists and future trends in U.S.-Italy tourism.

“We want to establish an initial connection with this market”

Claudio PaolettiClaudio Paoletti of Master Group Italy told us he had great expectations for the show. “I can't wait to get started! I think it will be a very interesting and valuable event for us. We want to establish an initial connection with this market. We know which Italian destinations are in high demand here, and we are fully prepared. I am confident it will be a fantastic event, bringing us great results and future opportunities.”  

Which other markets are important for you, and which are your top priorities?  

“At the moment South America is a key market for us. We are also focusing on boosting our presence in the DAC region—Germany, Switzerland, and Austria—as well as parts of Northern Europe. We also have important clients in Eastern Europe, including Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. And of course we are consolidating our position in the U.S. market, where we already have a valuable client base, and we are looking to expand even further.”  

What are the main products you are introducing or selling in the U.S. market?  

“Italy’s art cities are undoubtedly among our top-selling products, along with our touring experiences. Destinations with strong artistic and cultural appeal such as Rome, Florence, Venice, and Naples are always in high demand, and of course the Amalfi Coast and the Cinque Terre remain must-sees for American visitors.”   

“Italy is Italy, its culture is unique"

Kerri Kirshner and Eddie QuinteroWe then spoke to Kerri Kirshner and Eddie Quintero of Extra Mile Travels, Bothell, Wa and asked them how well they know Italy.  “I think I've been there at least ten or fifteen times. The first time was in 1990. I love Italy, it has some of the best food I’ve ever tasted. A few years ago we stayed in Padua and did day trips to Bologna, Ferrara, and Verona the city of love. Italy is Italy, its culture is unique."

And what do you think about the presence of ItaliAbsolutely at Las Vegas?

"This is our second time here, and thank you for being here. We’re sure we’ll learn a lot from you. Italy is in my heart. As a travel advisor I can say that more than 50% of my clients always ask about Italy. And this year, with the Jubilee, I recommend that those who want to visit this year to wait and go next year."

Beth Slifrski
We then asked Beth Slifrski of Cruise Planners Santa Barbara, Ca how many times she had been to Italy?

"I’d say at least five or six times. I’ve been to Sardinia, and to Puglia. Not many Americans know these regions well. I think Sardinia is probably my number one spot. And then I’d say the Amalfi Coast, second. But the real problem is that every place in Italy is so beautiful, it’s hard to pick!"

"Where do your clients go in Italy and what do you think about the future of US tourism in Italy?"

“My clients tend to do the classic routes: Rome, Florence, Venice, but in recent years I’ve noticed a growing interest in Sicily, but I’m also seeing more interest in other destinations- continued Beth. -I think Italy is going to keep growing. It has become the number one destination, maybe even surpassing France in terms of tourism. This year, with the Jubilee, tourism will definitely increase even more. Americans are just beginning to discover everything Italy has to offer, and there’s so much to see!"

“I am trying to push Sicily”

Melanie Rodriguez
Melanie Rodriguez of Life is Better Traveling, Leesburg, Va told us she sends a lot of clients to Italy but has still not been there herself.  “I have clients who've been asking to ski in Italy for years, and I think it could be the location for them. 

My clients tend to like three-city destinations starting in Florence, going down to Rome and ending in Naples and on to the Amalfi Coast. But I really am trying to push Sicily and some other unique destinations. Everyone does the three-city tour, I want to give them other choices.” 










Ligia Hofnar


Ligia Hofnar, Marketing Manager of Italiabsolutely, at the Italiabsolutely booth at the Las Vegas Travel Agent Forum.

The participation at the Las Vegas Travel Agent Forum of Travel Open Day Srl, the company that owns the ItaliAbsolutely brand, was possible thanks to the contribution of €15,240 received from the Lazio Region through the Voucher Internazionalizzazione PMI 2025, an initiative of the Regional Programme ERDF Lazio 2021-2027 which supports the participation of regional SMEs at international trade fairs, allowing them to expand access to foreign markets and promote their internationalization processes. With this participation Travel Open Day Srl promoted its publications and Italian excellence through direct interaction with over 1,000 thousand foreign travel agents.