Falk Tours, the Falkensteiner DMC is expanding its European presence in Southern Italy as well as in Croatia, Poland.

Working through Norma Vacanze in Palermo

As it begins with Falk Tours Croatia and Falk Tours Poland, Falk Tours is also acquiring regional expertise in the south of Italy with Nino and Franco Caronia of Norma Vacanze providing an attractive offer and operating from Palermo under the brand name Falk Tours Italy South.

Falk Tours is also based in South Tyrol

“We have been working with our national partners for many years in a spirit of trust and are now consolidating these partnerships on a long-term and equal footing,- says Andreas Arquin, who manages the European business with Giovanni Cocco in the new Falk Tours holding company in Zurich. The well-established Falk Tours & Partner, based in Varna in South Tyrol, will continue to be responsible for activities in Northern Italy and still be managed by Arquin and Cocco.

In 20023 Falk Tours totalled some 100.000 bookings

The first allotments for hotels, campsites and mobile homes in the new markets should be available for travel partners in the coming weeks. “We are focusing on guaranteed facilities with full access to prices and availability, as well as channel manager connections, and aim to have a wide network in the destinations,” says Cocco. The six destination brands for Italy (North and South), Croatia, Austria, Germany and Poland are in fact only the first step in this ambitious project. "Falk Tours totalled around 100,000 bookings in 2023. For our dealers, we want to be a one-stop shop for the whole of Europe,” adds Arquin, who is also looking for new partners and tour dealers in Western and Northern Europe.

Developing a scalable booking system

With its renewed DMC focus, Falk Tours now only holds a minority stake in the tour operator Falk Travel, which was acquired earlier this year by FTI founder Dietmar Gunz and technology entrepreneur Alexej Boiko. The former TraveLeague brand will also be divested. “Falk Travel is now one of our many major tour operator partners,” concludes Cocco, who adds that the  company is currently developing a new scalable booking system.

theOne Viaggi is growing its supplier network and making alliances with new international partners.

Recovery and new partners

theOne Viaggi’s new 2025 Student Groups and Adult Groups - Art Cities in Italy & Europe catalogues are scheduled for autumn. After the difficult period of the pandemic, the recovery continues for the San Marino-based DMC which recently concluded new alliances with international tour operators and expanded its network of suppliers. 

“Our clients are Italian and foreign travel agencies and coach companies”

“Investments in technology are also continuing to improve our operational efficiency and ensure a smoother and more personalized interaction with our clients, who are exclusively Italian and foreign travel agencies and coach companies,” says sales executive Federica Costa.

More special offers on the way

The Bonus €500 adult group campaign, valid for departures up to 30 September, is also proving very successful. “We therefore plan to propose other interesting offers in the short term. The new campaigns will aim to strengthen existing partnerships, guaranteeing advantageous and innovative offers that meet the different needs of customers according to the type of group requested.” 

In Forgarida in the Trentino region, Armon has finally opened the first 4-star ski resort of the Greenblu Hotels & Resorts group. 

Redeveloped and repositioned 

The property, with over 100 rooms and formerly known as Hotel Annamaria, has undergone a major redevelopment and repositioning and now includes a restaurant, bistro bar, wellness area, gym, swimming pool and a children's play area.

Just 100 metres from a large ski lift

The location is strategic: in fact, the asset is only 100 metres from the large ski lift of the renowned Campiglio-Dolomiti di Brenta ski area, close to the best ski resorts in the region. For its management, Greenblu signed a lease agreement with Pendragon Mountain, itself part of the Pendragon Real Estate Fund, an investment fund with a focus on hospitality assets in Trentino, Sardinia and France. The entire process was overseen by the hospitality department of Wcg-World Capital Group, advisor to both the property and the tenant.

“Happy to see the commercial repositioning of the property”

“For us it is fundamental to create new partnerships between players in the hospitality industry, whether they are investors or hotel operators,-  said Cristina Gentile, senior real estate consultant hospitality at Wcg. -The deal between Pendragon Mountain and Greenblu Hotels & Resorts is a virtuous example of this. We are happy to see the enhancement of Armon, both in terms of the quality of the asset and the commercial repositioning of the property.” 

Following its recent listing on the stock market the Soges Group has now acquired the Borgo di Cortefreda hotel in Barberino Tavernelle in Tuscany.

One acquisition follows another

Coming close on the heels of the acquisition of the Park Hotel Chianti, the closing of which has been postponed to 30 September “due to a delay in the delivery of some documents by the owners,” the Group has already concluded another sale in the region. It is the Borgo di Cortefreda Hotel in Barberino Tavernelle, already managed by Soges under its Place of Charme brand and owned by the Immobiliare Chiostrini company. The transaction has a total value of just over €5.1 million, most of which was financed by Intesa Sanpaolo.

A 4-star in the Chianti hills with MICE facilities

Borgo di Cortefreda is a 4-star hotel nestled in the Chianti hills with 55 rooms, a restaurant and bar, meeting rooms for congresses and events, a swimming pool and a spa. ‘The operation started in 2021 and has finally been concluded,- says Soges’ founder and president Paolo Galardi. – In line with the strategy and timing drafted for the IPO, the company's acquisition operations continue, boosting our position in hotel and conference hospitality, which comes under the Place of Charme brand.”

A few months after the leaks early this year, Hines and Clessidra have finally decided to invest in open air projects by entering the capital of the Human Company group. 

Projects for sustainable villages 

The operation involves the subscription of a capital increase of €120 million by the international investment group and the Italian private equity operator in a newly established company. The move aims to support Human Company's growth ambitions, while also enhancing the real estate and corporate governance skills of the Tuscan company controlled by the Cardini and Vannucchi families. Also on the horizon are important greenfield projects for the creation of a product based on sustainable village concepts open to exchange with their surrounding areas.

Human Company has ten villages and campsites

This is Hines' first investment in open air tourism and is part of a broader strategy involving so-called alternative assets. Human Company now has ten villages and campsites in Tuscany, Veneto, Lazio and Luxembourg, plus two 2.0 hostels under the Plus Hostel brand in Florence and Prague, as well as the Palagina Estate in the Chianti hills. 

Mercato Centrale F&B outlets around Italy 

It also has a F&B format called Mercato Centrale, currently active in Florence, Rome, Turin, Milan and Campi Bisenzio. The company boasts a turnover of some €150 million, with an ebitda of €40 million forecast for 2024, just for the open-air sector.

The 29th edition of Frutti del Castello (The Fruits of the Castle) will take place on 5 and 6 October, near Piacenza in Emilia Romagna.

Creating awareness for environmental issues

Since its first edition, this exhibition of ancient fruits, flowers, plants, and products of agriculture and craftsmanship has been committed to creating awareness for environmental issues and the culture of greenery.

Featuring floriculture with over 160 exhibitors

This is one of the longest-running events dedicated to floriculture on the Italian scene and will be back on 5 and 6 October 2024, from 9 am. to 6.30 pm., at Paderna Castle in Pontenure, in the province of Piacenza, with more than 160 exhibitors from all over Italy.

Focusing on ancient varieties of fruit plants

The best nursery gardeners will present their collections and, as always, the focus will be on ancient varieties of fruit plants, while farmers will propose their autumn harvest. Selected craftsmen will also be present with the best of their creations, and there will be a rich programme of meetings, events, and workshops for all ages. 

The new partnership between Decathlon and Bwh Hotels Italia is dedicated to the promotion of cycling tourism. 

A 10% discount for Decathlon customers

This novelty is the result of a commercial agreement signed by SiSupply, the hotel group's central purchasing office. Thanks to this collaboration Decathlon customers will be able to benefit from a 10% discount for stays in Bwh's bike hotels, starting from the end of July 2024.

Bike and e-bike rentals and hotel parking 

Bwh’s bike hotels offer numerous services dedicated to two-wheel enthusiasts, including bike and e-bike rental, dedicated spaces within the hotel in which to park the bikes, contacts with bike shops or repair kits with tools, breakfasts with natural and healthy products, and maps of cycling routes. 

Bike rentals also in Decathlon shops

Each bike hotel also offers a customized package with ad hoc extra services, including late check-out, pocket breakfast, pocket lunch, organized bike tours, bike washing services, laundry, wellness treatments and fresh fruit or snacks delivered directly in the room. Thanks to the new partnership bike rentals can now also be made at the nearest Decathlon shops, where it will also be possible to get assistance for repairs.

Livigno, in the Valtellina valley in Lombardy, not far from the border with Switzerland, has been confirmed as the most popular ski resort for its customer care.

The third edition of Italy’s “Best Customer Service 2024/2025”

The validation comes from the third edition of the research Italy's “Best Customer Service 2024/2025” carried out by the Italian daily Il Corriere della Sera and Statista. The joint survey aims to show how customer service is an area of great importance in Italy, representing the direct point of contact between a company and its customers, and a tool for building and confirming consumer loyalty, as well as improving corporate reputation. 

A total of 4,600 competitors in 155 categories

The independent survey conducted by Statista, a leading provider of market and consumer data, involved more than 15,000 Italians to assess various aspects of the customer service of numerous companies, which were divided into 155 categories for a total of 4,600 main competitors. The opinions of the Italians were based on five key criteria: availability of service, customer orientation, professional competence, quality of communication and variety of solutions offered. 

Photo Credits S.Confortola

Livigno got the highest score of 9.02

The processing of the results of this research then led to the awarding of 473 prizes to the companies, suppliers and institutions offering the best customer service in Italy. Livigno took first place among the Ski Resorts – which were part of the Leisure, Culture and Education macro-category - with a score of 9.02. This is a great satisfaction for Livigno which offers its guests the best customer service and is among the only 20 companies that scored higher than 9. 

Livigno is known as the Little Tibet of Italy

Livigno, known as the Little Tibet of Italy, due to its altitude of 5,958 feet, making it one of Italy's highest towns, is one of the most popular mountain destinations for Italians and tourists from all over the world, and in two years' time will be the home of the freestyle and snowboarding competitions at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics. 

An ideal choice for summer and winter holidays

With a breathtaking naturalistic landscape, embraced by the Rhaetian Alps, Livigno is a tourist and lifestyle destination loved by Italians and international visitors, who choose it every year to experience summer and winter holidays while discovering its different souls: sport, relaxation, traditions, shopping, typical and gourmet food and wine.

For information: https://www.livigno.eu