May 21, 2026
Blu Hotels' restructuring plan involves hotels and resorts Tuscany and South Tyrol.
Revenues were up 10.7% on 2024
The Group closed 2025 with revenues of €84.3 million, up 10.7% on 2024. “The figures achieved in 2025 confirm the group’s growth and the consolidation of our position in the Italian hospitality market, The significant increase compared to the previous year shows our strength and our ability to attract tourist demand across all the main destinations where we operate,” said Nicola Risatti, chairman and CEO Blu Hotels.
A vision of hospitality based on excellence
EBITDA also performed well, amounting to €15.7 million compared to €14.6 million the previous year, representing a 7.6% increase. The occupancy rate of the properties also improved, standing at 70.88% in 2025, compared to 70.34% in 2024, an increase of 0.54 percentage points. “The results achieved allow us to continue with the major restructuring and modernization plan for our properties launched in recent years, with the aim of further raising quality standards and enhancing our guests’ experience, guided by a vision of hospitality based on excellence.”
Refurbishments and new areas
Among the most significant projects the Grand Hotel in Forte dei Marmi underwent a major refurbishment on the façade and entrance, as well as the creation of a new outdoor bar area. The restaurant has also been completely refurbished and is now the Aqua Forte Restaurant. Renovatio has also begun on the Blu Hotel Senales in Maso Corto, which will reopen in July with a new positioning and identity: the Blu Senales Active & Family Resort, set to become one of the leading destinations for family holidays in South Tyrol.
Published in Hospitality
Palazzo Gattini, a 5-star hotel in Matera, part of the VRetreats collection, has joined The Leading Hotels of the World.
The third VRetreats hotel to join Leading Hotels of the World
“The Leading Hotels of the World is proud to enhance its partnership with VRetreats through the addition of Palazzo Gattini to its portfolio. The hotel offers guests an authentic, history-rich experience in the heart of Matera, combining elegant tradition with refined hospitality. Palazzo Gattini is a destination in its own right, appreciated for its charming atmosphere and timeless design; it is also an ideal base for exploring the villages and natural wonders in this region. We are confident that travellers from The Leading Hotels will be captivated by this extraordinary gem in Matera,” says Dean Bannon, VP member success & development, The Leading Hotels of the World. So Palazzo Gattini, alongside two other VRetreats hotels - the Atlantis Bay and the Mazzarò Sea Palacem joins the Leading Hotels of the World of over than 400 luxury hotels and resorts in over 80 countries.
view from the junior suite
A former aristocratic residence
Palazzo Gattini is a stately building at the highest point of Matera, overlooking the Sassi, and was once the residence of one of Matera’s most prominent noble families, the Counts of Gattini. Following a meticulous restoration project led by architect Ettore Mocchetti, it was converted into a hotel in 2008. With 20 rooms, including suites, junior suites and deluxe rooms, there is also a suite with a private pool on a terrace overlooking the Murgia of Matera.
Le Bubbole Restaurant
A restaurant showcasing regional and local cuisine
The materials and furnishings were crafted by the finest local artisans, whose work has helped to enhance the entire hotel. Mazzaro, a local stone used for the interior cladding, brings guests into close contact with the material, evoking the history of Matera’s ancient neighbourhoods. Completing the offering is a spa with a swimming pool and massage area in the part of the building with caves and cisterns carved into the stone, and the Le Bubbole restaurant showcases regional and local cuisine.
Palazzo Gattini Spa
Leaving guests with indelible memories
“Palazzo Gattini is a true gem that enriches the VRetreats collection, and it is located in one of Italy’s most fascinating cities. Palazzo Gattini’s entry into the prestigious community of The Leading Hotels of the World establishes it among the finest in international hospitality. This recognition rewards the care and passion we put into every detail, showing how a luxury experience can enhance the local area. For us welcoming guests means going beyond hospitality, we want to offer a personalized stay that can leave our guests with indelible memories,” adds Angelo La Riccia, chief commercial officer, Voihotels. 
Palazzo Gattini Spa
Published in Hospitality
Lignano Sabbiadoro, one of Friuli Venezia Giulia’s most iconic summer destinations, a vibrant summer of music is getting underway.
Hemingway called it a "Florida of Italy"
Offering a mix of sport, music, events and entertainment it will showcase one of the Adriatic’s most dynamic destinations. With its 8 kilometres of coastline, Lignano encompasses the three historic districts of Sabbiadoro, Pineta and Riviera, each with its own identity and atmosphere. A charm that even won over Ernest Hemingway, who in the 1950s described it as a veritable "Florida of Italy.
A roster of top entertainers
The season gets off to a flying start as early as May. Two major live events are set to kick off the musical summer: on 30 May 2026, the opening night of Tiziano Ferro’s Stadi26 tour, and on 7 June 2026, Max Pezzali’s Max Forever – Gli Anni d’Oro/Stadi 2026. Two highly anticipated events that confirm the role of Lignano Sabbiadoro as the capital of live music in Friuli Venezia Giulia. A reputation built up over the years, starting with Vasco Rossi’s historic concert on 18 June 2016 and consolidated with artists of the calibre of Ultimo, Negramaro, Marco Mengoni, Cesare Cremonini and the Jova Beach Party.
Francesco Marongiu Archivio PromoTurismoFVG
A concert for the summer solstice
On 21 June, to mark the summer solstice, the dawn concert at the Arenile del Faro Rosso returns for its seventh edition. At 5.00 am, the audience, seated on the sand, is enveloped by the notes of the ‘Arrigoni’ string orchestra, conducted by Domenico Mason, as the sun slowly rises from the sea. An intimate and evocative atmosphere, with free entry, where classical music and nature come together.
Fun for families and young people
Throughout the summer, the calendar continues to weave together events, outdoor experiences, music, sport and social occasions aimed at every demographic: from sports enthusiasts to families, from young people to those seeking relaxation and a lifestyle experience. A comprehensive offering that combines seaside holidays, entertainment and quality services, enhancing the ongoing dialogue between the beach, nature and activities.
A summit on Italy's beaches
The season will conclude with the 9th edition of the G20 Spiagge 2026, scheduled for 23 to 25 September 2026. An event of national significance that brings together the main Italian coastal municipalities with fewer than 65,000 inhabitants and over a million annual tourist visits, key players in the country’s seaside tourism sector. At the heart of the summit is the exchange and sharing of ideas on key issues relating to the sustainable development of coastal tourism and the exploration of innovative solutions and effective strategies to tackle future challenges.
Published in MICE & Events
"The Marche region, 365 days:" the authentic face of the region is revealed to international operators.
The unknown appeal of the region
The ambitious project involving Beverly Vacanze alongside Let’s Marche, ENIT, Gattinoni and Bookdia Fork, also has the support of Travel Quotidiano and ItaliAbsolutely. “Marche 365 days – every day, an emotion” aims at deseasonalizing what the region has to offer. It will helps to shed light on the unknown appeal of the region, revealing the Marche's most authentic spirit to discerning and curious travellers. One example is the role played by the lesser-known inland towns, which become the hub of an alternative form of tourism that attracts travellers from all over the world even during the low season.
The project will include workshops and fam trips
The comprehensive project presented by Lorenzo Rossi, the owner of Beverly Vacanze, involves local and foreign tour operators, Northern European buyers and international journalists. It will unfold on various levels, from workshops to fam trips, and introducing foreign buyers to the region’s finest offerings.
The passion and experience of local stakeholders
The programme also includes targeted initiatives to promote the Marche brand, alongside co-branded communications projects aimed at fostering a narrative that will span different themes and gradually encompass aspects related to tourism, culture, food and wine, local experiences and walking routes. All these elements will come together to form a vibrant and comprehensive mosaic, enriched by the passion and experience of local stakeholders, from hotels to local service providers.
Published in MICE & Events
On Sunday 24 May, ADSI Lombardy celebrates the 16th edition of National Historic Homes Day, the annual event organized by the Italian Historic Homes Association.
Hundreds of historic residences will open across Italy
Showcasing Italy’s largest open-air museum, by opening hundreds of historic residences across the country to thousands of visitors, this is a unique opportunity to discover places of great charm, rich in history and beauty, often little known and off the beaten track.
A living heritage for a shared value
The theme of National Day 2026 is "Guardians of the Future. A living heritage for a shared value" and it highlights in particular the shared responsibility for the protection and conservation of Italy's private historical and architectural heritage: cultural assets that are an expression of the deepest roots of Italian identity and which continue to generate cultural, social and economic value, to be protected and passed on to future generations. This initiative, showcasing the historic interiors of the region’s mansions and palaces, reinforces the narrative of a living and accessible heritage and expands opportunities for citizens, visitors and historic sites to come together.
Free tours of palaces, villas and private residences
To mark the occasion, ADSI Lombardia will open several historic residences to visitors, offering free tours of palaces, villas and private residences, allowing the public to discover the spaces, stories and traditions of these places. The historic residences opening to the public in Lombardy on Sunday 24 May are Villa dei Tasso - La Celadina (Bergamo), Spazio Cernaia - Casa Maveri (Milan), Villa Zari, Bovisio-Masciago, Palazzo Guicciardi, Ponte in Valtellina, Roseto del Drago, Ponte in Valtellina.
Published in Hospitality
Vista Verona, a 5-star luxury boutique hotel in the heart of Verona, has been selected to join the Virtuoso network which is dedicated to luxury and experiential tourism.
Entry into Virtuoso is an important recognition
This highly prestigious accolade confirms Vista Verona’s position among the most exclusive establishments in the international hotel industry. “Vista Verona’s entry into the Virtuoso network is an important recognition of the journey we have undertaken over the years,” says general manager Cristina Zucchi. -Becoming part of such a prestigious organization means sharing a vision of hospitality based on authenticity, attention to the guest and meticulous attention to detail. It is an achievement that encourages us to continue with determination in the ongoing refinement of our offering, in the name of excellence and quality.”
The only Verona hotel with a Michelin Key
In the heart of Verona’s historic centre, a stone’s throw from Juliet’s balcony, Vista Verona's concept of hospitality blends elegance, Italian design and attention to detail. Opened in 2022, the hotel has 16 suites in an eclectic style with iconic pieces of Italian design alongside bespoke furnishings crafted by master artisans. In 2025, the hotel was awarded the Michelin Key, making it the only hotel in the city to receive this accolade. 
A refined restaurant and a spa with an indoor pool
A central element of the experience is the Sottovoce restaurant on the top floor with a panoramic terrace overlooking the medieval rooftops which is helmed by executive chef Fabio Aceti. Here, the cuisine interprets the local terroir with a contemporary sensibility and is based on seasonality, innovation and quality ingredients. Completing the gastronomic offering are a carefully curated wine cellar and the Infinity Bar, a meeting place from which to experience Verona from a privileged vantage point. Another highlight is the spa, the only city spa to offer an indoor pool and a private spa suite.
Published in Hospitality
Vado Ligure has a new promotional city brand that develops the town’s new identity.
Vado Ligure's new logo is a knot
Linking its , industrial and port heritage with the development of a tourism project the new brand has a logo based on a concept of evolution and connection: a knot that evokes crossroads, relationships and new directions, symbolizing a town on the move. The colours, from the blue of the Ligurian Sea to the green of the hills and woods, visually encapsulate the town’s geographical and identity-defining position, suspended between the sea and the mountains. Reinforcing this message is the tagline “Move on”, conceived as a synthesis of the dynamism and transformative potential of the area.
"We are preparing to step into the modern world"
“Up to now Vado’s development and economy were centered on industry. Now with this project we are not doing away with the port or industry, which remain a fundamental cornerstone but we are preparing to step into the modern world. Today, Vado is the eastern gateway to a region stretching as far as Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena, a vast playground for visitors and enthusiasts from all over the world, says Enrico Guala, marketing manager of Finale Outdoor Region.
Using social media and multimedia content
Ample attention has also been given to the brand’s operational tools: from the visitvadoligure.it portal, launching this autumn, to social media channels, right through to the production of photographic and multimedia content that will showcase the region’s diverse facets from nature, culture, sea, gastronomy and outdoor activities to logistics, economy, people and the local area.
"It will take time but the goal is a fascinating one"
“The key word is regeneration,- concludes Fabio Gilardi, mayor of Vado Ligure. -We are trying to promote the area in a different way. We have built a brand that can represent Vado’s identity. There is much to be done. The project is only starting now and it will take time, because all regeneration processes take time, but the goal is a fascinating one.”
Published in Cities & Regions
The new 350-square-metre pet area in Palermo Airport is accessible 24 hours a day.
An area for pets and service dogs
For those travelling with their pets, for service dogs assisting people with disabilities, or for those passing through to accompany their loved ones, the Falcone Borsellino Airport thus becomes the only airport in Southern Italy to have introduced such an area, and the sixth in Italy after Milan Linate, Rome Fiumicino, Bologna, Cagliari and Olbia.
Pet Area
Located on the Departures level
The pet area is located in the external corridor between the two access ramps to the terminal's departures level, with the Salt Towers art installations. “The introduction of the PET area is much more than a new service; it is a concrete sign of the strategic direction we are setting for the development of Palermo Airport,- says Gianfranco Battisti, CEO of Gesap, the management company of Palermo’s Falcone Borsellino International Airport. -Today competitive airports in Europe are no longer measured solely by traffic volumes, but by the quality of the experience offered, inclusivity and the ability to meet travellers’ real needs.”
Some 30% of pet owners travel with their pets
A study reveals that 30% of pet owners, around 8.4 million people, prefer to travel with their pets. Yet 15% are forced to leave them at home due to restrictions at their destinations. Rich in greenery and Mediterranean flora, the new pet area features various street furniture elements: water points, dedicated drinking fountains with integrated bowls for animals; multi-purpose bins equipped with dispensers for waste bags; wooden and steel benches for owners to rest comfortably, good lighting, and in the coming weeks, the pet area will be further enhanced with a lawn. 
"Aligning airports with European standards"
“Ensuring adequate, safe and welcoming spaces for animals means tangibly improving the quality of the traveller experience,- says Roberto Lagalla, the mayor of Palermo - It also recognizes the value of the emotional bond between people and their four-legged companions. It is a matter of respect, inclusion and modernity. We believe that initiatives such as this are a gesture of civility that helps make our airports increasingly attentive to people’s real needs and aligned with European standards. Investing in services of this kind means building more humane cities and infrastructure, capable of evolving alongside society.”
Published in Transportation
Milan is playing the Olympics card once again, and is in the running with Turin and Genoa for the 2036 Summer games.
Three Italian cities could join forces
The idea, as reported by Il Sole 24 Ore, is still to propose a multi-city Games, in the name of sustainability. "We see an opportunity and, for me, it is also a matter of consistency. I have always been keen on the idea of doing more with Turin and now also with Genoa,- said the mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala. - There are official bids for 2036 that are not European. Obviously, we will need to check whether there are other Italian bids and then go through CONI. However, the three mayors and the three regional presidents are motivated. Ultimately, it is also a great project that helps three mayors and three regional presidents.”
High-speed rail will help to bring these cities together
The trio did not include Veneto for reasons of rail links. As for the transport links, Sala explains that “infrastructure, such as high-speed rail, will help bring these cities together. We need to move from the former industrial triangle to a different triangle where there is science, universities and technology.”
Rome will also put forward a bid
Everything is still to be planned; for now, there is only the idea. The aim is to arrive united by 2036 or 2040. The bid from the northern cities risks coming into conflict with the one Rome intends to put forward, but for the mayors, this is not a problem. "If Rome wants to bid, that’s fine, and we’ll see which project is better’. Looking ahead to 2036, the bid should be submitted by 2029.
Published in MICE & Events
Campiglia Marittima, on the Etruscan Coast in the province of Livorno, had +20,000 visitors in 2025.
Tailor-made for visitors seeking authenticity
There is an unexpected side to Tuscany: the Val di Cornia with medieval villages, vineyards overlooking the sea and rolling hills that seem tailor-made for visitors seeking authenticity. According to data from the Tuscany Region, Campiglia Marittima recorded an increase of around 20,000 visitors (+11%) in 2025, rising from 176,138 to 195,562 arrivals. This boom is part of a steady trend: from 132,000 visitors in 2019 to an increase of over 70,000 additional arrivals in just six years. A rare achievement for a small town off the beaten tourist track.
ph by AmaCampigliaMarittima Tuscany
In 2025 sone 2,800 weddings were held in Tuscany
Driving this growth is a new way of experiencing the region: more experiences, more nature, more flavours, and above all more seasons. Spring and autumn are now being fuelled by slow, cultural and outdoor tourism. A paradigm shift that is opening up new opportunities. Starting with the wedding sector. Wedding tourism is, in fact, one of the most dynamic sectors of international tourism: in 2025, around 2,800 weddings were celebrated in Tuscany, with an economic value of over €200 million. Americans remain the primary target market, followed by the UK and Northern European countries. 
ph by AmaCampigliaMarittima Tuscany
A wedding fair for ten top wedding planners
The recent “Tuscany Coast Wedding & Events FAM Trip,” organized by the AmaCampigliaMarittima association from 19 to 22 April brought ten of the top international wedding planners specializing in weddings for American couples to Tuscany. The four-day itinerary through medieval villages, wineries, historic residences and agritourism establishments, was designed to show the authentic soul of a region that is increasingly positioning itself as the Unexpected Tuscany: from Campiglia Marittima to Suvereto, from Populonia to the Gulf of Baratti, passing through some of the most charming venues on the Etruscan Coast. 
"I was impressed by the quality of the facilities"
“Many American couples want to get married in Tuscany, but often give up because they look elsewhere for seaside venues. So I began to explore the Tuscan coast, discovering that outside the Argentario area, it is still little known in the United States. When I discovered Campiglia Marittima and its surroundings, I was captivated by the unique interplay between sea and countryside, and impressed by the quality of the facilities. I sincerely believe it is a little hidden gem that deserves to be brought to the attention of international wedding professionals,” said Johanna Erin Jacobson, a Californian photographer, international wedding professional and owner of the AmbientImage agency.
The first regional wedding fair in Campiglia Marittima in 2027
The “Tuscany Coast Wedding & Events FAM Trip” was just the first stage of a wider project, which will lead, from next year, to the launch of the first regional wedding fair in Campiglia Marittima, an event inspired by Jacobson and dedicated to international operators with the aim of positioning the area as the most unexpected and authentic Tuscany For information: https://www.amacampigliamarittima.it/
Published in Leisure
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