What's new in Italy? | Connecting Travel

Italy's La Dolce Vita secures it a spot on Mabrian's top 10 outbound destinations for GCC travellers

Few countries have the diverse credentials of Italy, a country that offers wine tours in the rolling hills of Tuscany (pictured), star-studded film festivals in Venice, centuries-old art in Rome, designer-driven shopping in Milan and almost 300 snow-kissed ski resorts. It’s no wonder Italy is one of Europe’s most alluring destinations for GCC region travellers.

Data expert Mabrian shows that the most talked-about Italian tourist treasures are its historical sites, specifically Rome’s Colosseum, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Florence’s Old Bridge (Ponte Vecchio) and Milan Cathedral (Duomo di Milano), and rounding out the top five is the prestigious Milan Fashion Week.

The 2024 Borsa Internazionale del Turismo took place in February, announcing a resurgence in Italy’s tourism industry throughout 2023, highlighted by revived international visitor numbers and an increase in hospitality revenue. Statista, the global data platform, also predicts a growth in Italy’s travel and tourism markets, with revenue projected to reach US$22.60bn in 2024 with an annual growth rate of 0.79%.

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New Attractions
The Adriatic coastal town of Pesaro is the Italian Capital of Culture 2024, hosting 300 events throughout the year. As the birthplace of Gioachino Rossini, the composer of William Tell and The Barber of Seville, it’s also recognised by UNESCO as a Creative City for Music. Furthermore, UNESCO has just added Italy’s tradition of opera singing to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa continues its 850th anniversary celebrations until 9 August 2024, with a programme of events including the Many Lives of the Pisa Bell Tower exhibition, featuring paintings, engravings, photographs and films about the iconic structure.

Pesaro

Looking to the future, the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, from 6 to 22 February, will feature 16 Olympic and six Paralympic disciplines. More than 3,500 athletes from 93 countries will compete, with an expected two million spectators.

The 2025 Vatican Jubilee anticipates an influx of visitors to Rome for its year-long celebrations, starting with the opening of the Holy Door in St Peter’s Basilica on 24 December

New Hotels
COMO Alpina Dolomites opened at the end of 2023, serving up an uncompromising Alpine escape amid towering peaks and sprawling valleys.

The 60-room luxury resort is also home to the brand’s world-famous COMO Shambhala Retreat.

The new Palazzo Cordusio Gran Meliá in Milan resides in the lovingly restored 19th-century Palazza Venezia, formerly the headquarters of Assicurazioni Generali. Some rooms feature private balconies with views of the famous Duomo.

One of Italy’s most anticipated new openings is another historic gem: Corinthia Rome, which will welcome guests this year. The former seat of the Central Bank of Italy will have new life breathed into its storied walls, with 60 guest rooms and suites, a spa, a cocktail lounge, gardens and rooftop amenities.

Italy’s Orient-Express La Dolce Vita train debuts in the latter part of 2024, taking guests on one- and two-night trips from north to south Italy across six iconic itineraries. The first two Orient Express hotels – Orient Express La Minerva and Orient Express Venice – will also open this year.

IHG Hotels & Resorts has announced plans to bring Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants to Italy for the first time, opening a new 59-room boutique property in 2025 in the sun-baked hillside town of Taormina in Sicily (the setting for season two of Netflix’s White Lotus).

Travel and tourism data intelligence provider Mabrian shared insights on Azerbaijan as an outbound destination for GCC travellers: