As the fatal attraction between the fashion world and the hotel industry continues, Rocco Forte is to open the all-suite Palazzo di Sirignano in Naples.

The property belongs to the Colella family

The property belongs to the family of Nunzio and Anna Colella, which owns the Gutteridge and Alcott brands, and has decided to entrust the management of the Neapolitan Palazzo Caravita di Sirignano to the Rocco Forte Hotels group. 

The hotel will have 46 suites, a rooftop pool and two restaurants

The first mansion to rise along the Riviera di Chiaia with the laying of the foundation stone in 1535, the building was the residence down the centuries of noble dynasties such as the Bourbons and the princes of Sirignano. Renovated by architect Michele Bönan, the palace will now reopen as a hotel in 2027 with 46 large suites, a rooftop with a panoramic swimming pool, two restaurants, private gardens, bars and a large spa.

Calabria and its city of Gerace “the region’s flagship” were at the ITB in Berlin. 

"Gerace will become more accessible, and smarter over the next few years,- says Domenico Romeo, head of public works and heritage for the municipality of Gerace. – We have received funding of some €20 million to boost both Gerace and the entire Locri area as a tourist and cultural destination.”

Domenico Romeo with Carmelo Cosimo Caridi

Both Gerace and the Locri area are a focus of the efforts being made by the Calabria region to renew and boost its presence on the tourism and cultural scene.

"The project is very important. Gerace is at the centre of a tourism project that also reaches out to our agro-alimentary culture,- says Calabria’s tourism promotion director Cosimo Carmelo Caridi.  – This it also means boosting our crafts and awareness of the territory. It will open up the Grecanica area, and also envisages an association between the city's commercial and craft operators.” 

Stefano Aiello, owner of Di Paola Viaggi was in Berlin to present the Molise region to the German and world markets. 

“Molise is perceived as a region to be discovered”

"Ours is a historic agency in Campobasso and we recently founded a DMC called Turismo in Molise. We are at the Berlin fair to present the Molise region. Also because it is perceived as a region yet to be discovered.  So the first objective is to make people understand what Molise has to offer and what tourists can find there.”

What are the main markets that come to Molise?

"Our first market is related to the slow tourism sector. Small groups. Because the region and the territory are still  not organized for large groups. So we get a lot of trekkers, and people who want a holiday in contact with nature, and then there is our food and our wine.” 

Which countries do these visitors come from?

"Of course  we get many Italians, but also and chiefly Dutch and UK visitors.” 

Chinese visitors to Serravalle Designer Outlet are growing in the year of the Dragon.

A notable increase in international tourist flows

“Despite the global challenges,- says Serravalle Designer Outlet’s general manager Matteo Migani, - our outlet posted notable growth in international tourists in 2023: the tax-free data indicate a 14% higher turnover generated by foreign visitors at the end of the year compared to 2019, and 40% on total turnover. These are international tourists who are increasingly looking for in-depth and quality experiences in the area.”

“Plans to boost our ties with the Chinese market”

 “In recent months encouraging results have arisen especially from the implementation of plans to boost our ties with the Chinese market. Greater China, that is China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, contributed significantly to the growth of international flows last year, with 11% of the total tax-free sales generated, and today sees prospects for further positive growth.”

Chinese New Year in Serravalle Designer Outlet

Chinese visitors have a medium-high spending capacity

A profile of the typical Chinese visitor shows a medium-high spending capacity. They are often travelling for work or incentive trips, and are mainly individual clients or small groups who tend to favour the concept of a 360-degree experience.

“The interaction of these visitors with the surrounding area is an integral element of a visit to the Serravalle Designer Outlet,- adds Migani. - We have always promoted the tourist vocation of the surrounding area and supported efforts to enhance the culture, food and wine, landscapes and the excellence of hospitality in the Alto Monferrato, and in particular in the Gavi hills and the Borbera Valley.”

NTI, Network Turismo Italia is a comprehensive network for tourism services, as Claudia Santolin explained at the ITB in Berlin.

“We have a fairly wide coverage of the Italian market”

“Ours is a business network founded in 2022, our member are both producers and suppliers in the tourism hospitality sector.  We offer a whole range of services and present ourselves as tour operators, also because we have a fairly wide coverage of the Italian market,”  said Claudia Santolin.

Promoting and representing Italy around the world

Bringing together producers and suppliers of tourist services throughout Italy, Network Turismo Italia has a range of sea, mountain and lake facilities, is now entering the art cities, and already has products in Northern Italy.

“We are able to offer an integrated and complete package, because each property has its own specifics. Although we are relatively young, this year we are satisfied with the results that bring us here to the Berlin fair.”  The company promotes and represents Italy around the world. “This is our first year as a tour operator, our aim is to make our country known in as widely as possible."

At the ITB in Berlin we met Paolo Giuntarelli, regional director for cinema, tourism and sport of the Lazio Region.

As Rome and the Lazio region gear up for the 2025 Jubilee, how do you see 2024?

"Right now we are working on promoting sports tourism, but also on the major events that will see Lazio as a protagonist, such as the European Athletics Championship among others. We are focused both on major events and on the Jubilee, which will be both a national and an international tourist attraction. Of course, in parallel, we are also busy working on regulating legislative governance in our region.”

What can you tell us about overtourism, is it a major problem for the capital?

"Overturism is not a problem that any single region can resolve. What is needed are joint actions so that we can take pressure off the mass tourism that is concentrated on certain cities. Of course we are also aiming at deseasonalization, and at promoting the little-known towns and villages in our region that are real gems. Around Rome there is the whole Lazio region, and we aim at boosting awareness of its many excellences.”  

Italcares, the new portal from Federturismo will be launched online at the end of April.

A portal devoted to medical tourism 

The new Federterme portal, co-financed by the Ministry of Tourism for €1.5 million, was presented last June and is now finally about to see the light of day. This was confirmed at the ITB in Berlin by project manager, Raffaella Iarrapino. “The new site is part of a broader strategy devoted to medical tourism, a sector that is growing rapidly on an international level. It will consist of a single online platform with the wellness and health offerings of our partners: thermal baths, healthcare companies, and spas. There will also be sections dedicated to the services on offer and other interesting content, and users will be able to interact with the site and select exactly what they need.”  

The site is in four languages and aimed at B2B operators

Available immediately in four languages - in addition to Italian, there will be English, French, and German versions - the site will also be a privileged interlocutor for B2B operators. "Agencies, tour operators, insurance companies, and social security funds will not only be able to find the best product for their customers, but also ad hoc collaboration agreements. The goal is to become the single benchmark for the health and wellness sector in Italy.”

Vueling will once again be connecting Barcelona El Prat  airport with Milan Linate, starting 31 March.

Vueling will operate 37 weekly fights between the two cities

This strategic route for the IAG group company expands the network of international flights connecting the rest of Europe to Italy.  The Barcelona-Linate, which was operational up to 2021, will be served by two weekly flights (operating on Saturdays and Sundays). This summer Vueling will further strengthen its flights between Barcelona and Milan Malpensa, offering up to six daily flights, with a total of up to 37 weekly flights between the two cities.

Flying in and out of 14 Italian airports this summer

Italy is a key market for Vueling, as demonstrated by the presence of two bases (Rome Fiumicino and Florence) among its 16 bases in Europe. The company began operations in Italy in 2004 and will operate in and out of 14 Italian airports during the summer season: Rome Fiumicino, Florence, Milan Malpensa, Milan Linate, Turin, Genoa, Venice, Bologna, Naples, Bari, Palermo, Catania, Cagliari and Olbia. The Barcelona-Linate flights are already on sale.

After the soft opening period last July, the boutique hotel La Serena will officially open in Forte dei Marmi  this April. 

La Serena has 30 rooms and suites

Positioned between the Apuan Alps and the Mediterranean Sea, the new Forte dei Marmi property aims to bring a young and fresh approach with a contemporary design predominating in all rooms. La Serena has 30 rooms and suites, a restaurant serving Tuscan and Mediterranean cuisine, a bar and wine cellar, a lounge and lobby, a swimming pool,  terrace and  garden.

The hotel also has an art gallery 

Reflecting the artistic culture of the area, La Serena also has an art gallery with colourful works by established and emerging artists, located in the common areas as well as in the gardens and pool area. The hotel also offers an artist residency programme, which for the 2024 season features Maitha Abdalla, from 15 April to 6 May, Hazem Harb, from 1 to 15 June, and Samo Shalaby, from 20 June to 20 July.