Short-term rental regulation has long focused on housing scarcity, as in New York and Barcelona. But a growing number of regions face the opposite: housing vacancy amid population decline. Japan has about 9 million empty homes, 13.8% of its housing stock. Italy's 'albergo diffuso' model converts empty homes into a unified hotel, creating jobs but hard to scale. Germany's Black Forest and others are piloting it.
Travelport and Aeroitalia, the Italian airline connecting mainland Italy with Sicily and Sardinia, have signed a new multi-year content agreement making Aeroitalia's content available through Travelport. The agreement addresses a gap where the carrier's content had previously only been available through competitor platforms. From year two, rich content and branding capabilities will be activated, including resident fares available for sale on Travelport's GDS. Aeroitalia is currently the second largest Italian airline by passenger numbers, founded in 2022, and sold 3 million tickets in 2025. It serves 26 airports (22 in Italy) and offers 43 routes between Italy and Europe, with plans to add…
According to Phocuswright's Italy Travel Market Brief 2026, Italy's travel market reached €30 billion in gross bookings in 2025, up 4.5% YoY. Online bookings account for 58% of the market, with mobile driving over half of that activity. Tourism hit an all-time high with 476 million overnight stays, up 2.1%. Low-cost carriers captured 61% of summer capacity, and hotel investment exceeded €2.5 billion.
Italo, Italy's premier private high-speed rail operator, has renewed its partnership with Navitaire, an Amadeus company, through 2030. The renewal expands retailing capabilities with advanced APIs and pricing optimization tools, and develops new features for easier integration with other carriers and services, reducing time to market.
The U.S. Department of State issued a Level 2 travel advisory for Italy, urging travelers to exercise increased caution. The advisory cites the risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Italy. It also notes that petty crime is common, especially in popular tourist locations and on public transportation including trains, and that most crimes against foreigners are crimes of opportunity such as purse snatching, pickpocketing and car break-ins.
The U.S. Department of State keeps Italy at Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) due to terrorism. The advisory states there is a risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity, in Italy. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, with common targets including tourist spots, transportation centers, shopping malls and markets, local government buildings, hotels, clubs and restaurants, religious sites, parks, sporting and cultural events, schools, airports, and public areas. It advises travelers to stay alert in tourist spots, check local media for breaking news, and be prepared to adjust plans.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office updated its Italy travel advice on 28 September 2026 with new information on Mount Etna volcanic activity. Local authorities have increased the alert level for Mount Etna due to volcanic activity. Arrivals and departures at Catania airport may be cancelled, delayed or re-routed to Palermo or Comiso. The advice also covers Vatican City.