ao Hostels Italia closes 2022 with excellent results, driven by an important second semester thanks to an average occupancy of 80% in its two Venice Mestre hostels, compared to 64% for the same period in 2021 and 68% in 2019.

“We can confidently say that 2022 has not only amazed us, but has also been the best year ever,” says Annalia Bassi, ao Hostels' new international sales manager. “From the beginning of the year it was felt that the wind had finally changed; people were less afraid to travel  and the results were not long in coming, especially from the summer onwards.”

 

Very encouraging figures 

The Venice Mestre properties were particularly popular from July to September. As a result ao Hostels Italia recorded a 26% increase in turnover in 2022 compared to 2019, welcoming up to 75% of foreign tourists, primarily German, English, and Spanish, and 25% of domestic guests. Despite the fact that there are still two months until the next Carnival weekend, the employment figures for the previous Carnival weekend are already very encouraging and currently exceed 50%.

British Airways is to launch new flights from London Heathrow airport to Florence next summer, starting on 16 April.

BA flies to 11 cities in Italy 

The new daily flight will operate from London Heathrow, departing from Terminal 5 at 07:50 and be operated by an A320Neo. The new Heathrow-Florence route, which makes the Tuscan capital one of the 11 Italian destinations - including Rome, Milan, Venice and Naples - served by British Airways from Heathrow Airport, joins the London City airport flights.

“Flight schedules have been optimised for connectivity with popular routes”

"We know that our customers love to visit Tuscany, which is why we already operate flights from London City to Florence," said Neil Chernoff, BA’s director of networks and alliances. "We have added this new route from Heathrow to the Tuscan capital to give them even more choice for exploring this incredible Italian region. This is good news not just for UK travellers, but also for those connecting to London to and from US destinations. Flight schedules have been optimised for connectivity with popular routes including New York, Boston and Chicago.”

Destination Italia S.p.A., the leading Italian travel tech company in experiential incoming tourism in the luxury sector, topped €27.4 million in bookings in the first eleven months of 2022. 

2022 saw an increase in high-end tourist bookings 

Compared to 2021, the growth was +275%. Last year, in the same period, bookings exceeded €7.3 million. The company, which recently announced a merger by incorporation of the B2C online tour operator Portale Sardegna S.p.A., rode the market rebound, hitting over €27 million in bookings. In 2022, compared to 2021, the group recorded an increase in bookings of high-end tourists from the US, Canada, Australia, Brazil and Argentina, Spain and the UK. The Middle Eastern market was stable, and the Russian shrunk due to travel restrictions.

“We want to become an international market maker” 

The contribution of the SONO Travel Club, the business line of tailor-made tourist experiences dedicated to luxury travellers, families and small groups with high spending budgets, was very important for the 2022 growth.

"The Destination Italia Group has great ambitions: we want to become an international market maker, influencing the export of Italian tourism by channelling the flow of international arrivals to Italy, especially in the luxury segment,” said Destination Italia's shareholder Dina Ravera. “We exceeded €27 million in bookings in the first eleven months of 2022, with a +275% on the same period in 2021. We know where we want to go, and the execution of our strategy is proceeding as planned.”

There is no stopping developments in Cortina with a view to the next Winter Olympics in 2026, and now it’s the turn of the Rosapetra Spa Resort.

Five- and six-room cottages will be added to the 33 existing keys

The property has just been acquired by Manuel Faleschini, founder of the hat manufacturer Wayscap, already involved in the former Spazio Krizia in Milan, destined to become an 18-room Philipp Plein hotel. The Ampezzo property was owned by Albino Ghirardon and will now be restyled for over €3.5 million, with include new five- and six-room cottages to be added to the 33 existing keys. The value of the sale is not known.

“Our Rosapetra project will give further impetus to the growth of Cortina”

The transfer of ownership does not, however, change the management of the Rosapetra, which remains in the hands of Relegance - The Unexpected Collection of Antonio Onorato, a long-time friend of Manuel Faleschini.

"After the success in Venice with Palazzina Grassi, I am certain that our Rosapetra project will give further impetus to the growth of Cortina," sais Onorato. Relegance's development projects also include other facilities in Venice and in other iconic locations on the Peninsula.

The Leonardo Boutique Rome Termini and the Leonardo Milan City Center were the best performing Italian properties of the Israeli hotel company in terms of average occupancy in 2022, at 78% and 79% respectively. 

Average occupancy in 2022 was 83%

The Leonardo Hotels Central Europe group is celebrating a year that finally marks a return to, if not exceeding, the pre-Covid levels of 2019. After an extremely positive summer, the Italian hotels confirmed the growth trend of the high season, closing the last three quarters of 2022 with an average occupancy of 83%. The performance was undoubtedly driven by Italian demand, but Germany, Israel and the United States also played a strong role.

Partnering major events 

"After a first quarter slowed down by the Omicron variant, 2022 was a record year for Leonardo Hotels Italy. Daily occupancy rates on an annual basis are 20% higher than in 2019 " said Rafi Carmon, country general manager Italy & Hungary.

In 2022 the Leonardo Royal Venice Mestre was the hotel partner of the Venice Marathon as well as of Ted Talks, while the Nyx Hotel Milan hosted a fashion show for Milan Fashion Week in November, and in 2023 the company plans to consolidate these partnerships.

The Greenhouse is an elegant outdoor lounge overlooking the lake, just a few steps from the Villa d'Este’s historic restaurant, the Veranda. 

From morning coffee to lunch and afternoon tea

The Greenhouse, which opens for Christmas, is made entirely of glass and has a contemporary design. It welcomes guests to its velvet sofas, tartan furnishings, Christmas candles and two spectacular fireplaces for coffee snacks or light lunches: from caviar to oysters and the timeless Club Sandwich. The Villa d'Este's Afternoon Tea is a journey into the millenary history of tea, from China to India, to Japan and South Africa, with an appetizing selection of sandwiches and vol-au-vents, scones and cakes, as well as prestigious champagnes.

The mixologists create some marvellous cocktails

As evening approaches the Greenhouse becomes a lounge area where you can unwind with a cocktail before dinner or enjoy some live music. The mixology bartenders are ready to advise and delight with their range of exciting Villa d'Este signature cocktails.  

Tickets are already on sale for Aeroitalia’s 15 routes from its Florence base this summer including new direct flights to London Heathrow, Tel Aviv, Malta, Southern Italy, Central and Eastern Europe, and to Heraklion, Corfu and Ibiza.

“We will provide better value for money for Tuscany’s business and leisure travellers”

"We are super excited to announce a major expansion from our Florence base with 15 non-stop destinations from the heart of Tuscany, - said Aeroitalia’s chief commercial officer Krassimir Tanev. - The first five summer routes to London Heathrow, Catania, Bucharest, Trapani and Malta will be phased in over the coming weeks. We are passionate about giving the best customer experience, and will be flying to main central airports, providing better value for money for both business and leisure customers in Florence and in Tuscany."

Toscana Aeroporti’s network gets a major boost

"Aeroitalia's new summer routes underscore the appeal of Florence airport. The 15 routes, which provide connections to important cities and summer holiday resorts, will help strengthen the network of destinations offered by Toscana Aeroporti both in Italy and abroad," commented a note by Toscana Aeroporti.

Piedmont’s history with chocolate is one of generations of master chocolatiers, irresistible delicacies, and the splendid pastry shops and cafes for which Turin is famous.

Cocoa was introduced to Piedmont in the 16th century

Quality raw materials and great inventiveness have made Turin the European capital of chocolate making since the 16th century, when cocoa arrived in Piedmont with Duke Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy. It is said that the duke symbolically served a steaming cup of chocolate to the city to celebrate the transfer of the capital from Chambery to Turin. 

Hazelnuts and chocolate for a marriage made in heaven

In 1678 the drink went on sale to the public and the art of chocolate making conquered hearts and palates in solid and liquid form: from bars sold by the cut to specialties and drinking chocolate. Delicacies such as the Cremino, the Torinese with its three layers of chocolate, one of hazelnut chocolate paste and two of gianduja cream, and the Alpino, as well as the famous pralines and truffles. The marriage of cocoa and the Langhe hazelnut created the Gianduiotto, the famous upside-down boat-shaped delight made from gianduja paste. It was the first chocolate to be sold wrapped in gold or silver paper, and the first made during the 1865 Carnival period. 

Endless variations with meringue, rum and amaretti

During the festive season Bonet can be enjoyed throughout Piedmont. This rich soft pudding is made with cocoa, amaretti and rum.  And if you are in Cune stock up on the excellent Cuneesi al Rum, chocolates with two meringue wafers and a centre of dark chocolate and rum custard, coated with a layer of dark chocolate.

Neos is expanding its network with a new direct flight to India, destination Amritsar in the state of Punjab. From this month the Boeing 737 Max flights have Milan Malpensa departures every Wednesday.

The aim is to carry 40,000 passengers in the first year

Neos thus aims at supporting the development of new tourist and business traffic between the two countries, with the objective of reaching about 40,000 passengers in the first year of operations. The Alpitour Group's carrier's plans include the expansion of capacity, with departures also from the airports of Rome Fiumicino and Verona from next year. 

Consolidating relations between Italy, the USA and India

In addition to meeting incoming needs, by boosting arrivals from South-East Asia to Italy, the new route will be an important connection for the Milan-New York route. This means further growth for the airline, while consolidating relations between Italy, the USA and India, and paving the way for new and profitable tourist and economic collaborations.

“Neos is expanding its historic leisure business”

"With the new intercontinental flight Neos expands into the Asian market, continuing its development strategy aimed at broadening its perimeter of action alongside expanding its historic leisure business," said Carlo Stradiotti, CEO of the company.

Among the most recent additions to Neos' long-haul network are Kazakhstan and Mauritius, an expansion that goes hand in hand with the growth of the fleet, which now consists of 15 aircraft, including the latest generation B737s, B737 MAXs and 787 Dreamliners.