Matteo della Valle, passengers sales & marketing staff director GNV, who we met at the ITB in Berlin, told us they are aiming for a very positive season.
2023 registered a slowdown after April
"We anticipate a positive season. Already 2023 was good overall, although the entire local transport sector had a similar trend, i.e. a strong push on bookings until April, and then a slowdown. This was due to various factors, especially the return of traffic to more exotic countries, on medium and long-haul routes, but also the economic situation and its impact on Italian families.”
Gnv staff ai ITB Berlin
“Germany is in a recession with limited spending power”
“In 2024 we expect a positive trend, for now we are a little above last year in terms of bookings. Of course, the strategy is to keep the course of bookings high through the summer season as well. There are some difficulties, for example in Germany, which is in recession for the first time since the Second World War. And so with limited spending capacity. But I must say that I feel confident. sales are moving. GNV is coming up with important capacity increases on four of the six main markets.”
What do you expect from the two new ships, Sirius and Auriga?
"It is a beautiful message from the shipowner that he continues to invest in GNV. It is significant that in 2019 we had 16 ships, today we have 28. In contrast to the passenger transport sector which had to deal with Covid, we have now grown both in the number of ships and passengers. As for the two new ships, we will put one on the Genoa-Palermo, and the other on the Genoa-Olbia.
What are your sales channels?
"Our channels are, of course, Italian travel agencies, otas and direct sales. At present otas represent 20 % of our turnover, and I think it will remain this way for quite some time. Because, while the otas are important, real travel agencies have many things going for them, from the completion of the trip to the proximity and the expertise that represents a unique value in the distribution of the product. That is why I say that the off-line is our first channel, and it will remain so for a long time.”
