The Alpitour Group accelerates in the luxury segment and launches a development plan for VRetreats, the hôtellerie brand of VOIhotels aimed at the luxury segment of the Italian and international market, while for the full return of the market to 2019 levels, the appointment is in 2023. “Today we offer 4 exclusive structures in some of the most evocative Italian cities, two of which in Taormina, one in Rome and one in Venice recently opened, but the goal is to reach 12 in the next three years, investing in iconic Italian locations even outside the well-known tourist circuits, but always aiming at redesigning the same concept of luxury, no longer an end in itself, but as a key to access the beauty of our country »said Gabriele Burgio, president and CEO of the Alpitour Group. As for the progress of requests for quotes and bookings, the latest data comes from Giovanni Tamburi, founder, president and CEO of Tamburi Investment Partners, the main shareholder of the Piedmontese group, speaks of an average “of about 33,500 quotes per day while in the past in the peak days we reached the half ». In fact, a few months ago the desire for a vacation has taken over and the business is recovering more decisively than expected. “The data for the current fiscal year that begins in November will still be negative, but if the current trend were to continue for the next few months, the trend reversal would take on structural characteristics and, also given the weakening of competition, the the group could soon return to producing the profitability it was accustomed to before the pandemic ”, highlights in a note the founder of the merchant bank Tamburi Investment Partners.
The feedback from the premium market, that of long-haul holidays, is very good: for many destinations the numbers of 2019 are exceeded. “To give examples, the Indian Ocean, since it reopened, is just above the numbers of 2019 and was responsive right away. North America had a very bright response for the New Year period and to follow a downturn due to Omicron, but for some months now it has been regularly above 2019 as ordered (+ 40%) although it remains a decidedly lower result than 2019 for the restrictions in force in the first half – reports Gabriele Burgio -. For VRetreats we will focus on residences chosen for personality and peculiarities, aspects that VRetreats enhances, enhancing the nature of the original structures. Oasis of beauty, crossed by an important past and embellished with cloisters, internal gardens and terraces where guests can reconnect to themselves and to the surrounding place. We are carefully evaluating each acquisition because what interests us is the distinctive personality that must characterize each of our hotels. Even before the guests, we must fall in love with the project ». As for the summer of 2022, the season is going very well but the first months when most of the destinations were closed weigh on the result of the year. “Finally all the destinations are open and our systems travel on an average of over 30 thousand quotes a day with an average of 2 thousand confirmations daily – continues the CEO -. A trend that has been going on for over 2 months and booking data surpasses 2019, our best year ever. We hope to continue like this and to continue at the same pace next winter ». To the Turin group for the offer of tour operators it deploys the Alpitour, Francorosso and Bravo brands; in the specialized one Turisanda 1924, Presstour by Turisanda, Made by Turisanda; no frills Edenviaggi. Then there are the Travel Agency division with the Welcome Travel Group, the Neos airline, the hotel business with VOIhotels and VRetreats to finish with the incoming activity with Jumbo Tours Group, Alpitour Incoming, Sardegna.com.
As regards spending and the duration of holidays, there is a polarization of sales. First of all, the Italians have not lost the habit of booking under date. You can book in advance only for July and August with a duration of one or two weeks. The destinations at the moment are the summer evergreens which, for Italians, are Spain, Greece, Egypt and of course Italy. All destinations are growing but households are weighed down by inflation and price increases which erode the spending power of some groups of customers. The consequence is shorter and more fractional holidays as the geopolitical framework pushes up hotel and transport prices. Italy is also doing very well on the domestic and incoming fronts. “The numbers are in line with 2019, indeed we also expect something more in terms of volumes, what changes is the composition: more domestic tourism than in the past – concludes the CEO -. The outgoing is doing well: we have tripled the results of 2021, but we are still far from the performance of 2019. Next winter will be essential to take stock »concludes Burgio. Undoubtedly, Covid has revolutionized the demand that is now asking for a more conscious and sustainable tourism, flexible packages and hybrid ways of working and vacation, guarantee and safety, the search for personalized itineraries, built around well-being, mind and body as well as new destinations.