This summer there is a risk of queues and disruption for the introduction of the new European ETIAS and EES border processing regulations.  

Significant delays and passenger frustration

We have already reviewed the two new systems that will change border processing for visa-exempt travellers entering Europe: the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) and the Entry/Exit System (EES). But recently problems have arisen at a number of European airports, leading to significant delays, growing passenger frustration and even missed flights.

Severe disruption in quiet winter periods

The EES officially kicked off on 12 October 2025, while the ETIAS is scheduled to launch in the third quarter of this year, but recent system failures have already caused severe disruption in airports during traditionally quiet winter periods. 

Lisbon Airport had to suspend operations

In December, Lisbon Airport was forced to suspend EES operations for three months after “serious deficiencies” led to passenger queues of up to seven hours. With summer traffic into Europe expected to be significantly heavier and dominated by leisure travellers using the system for the first time, these early failures raise serious concerns about the readiness of EES for the peak season.

ETIAS is a security check

ETIAS is an online pre-travel authorization, expected to come into force in late 2026. It is not a visa, but a security check that travellers must complete before travelling to 30 European countries. The fee will be €7, and once approved, ETIAS will normally be valid for three years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.

The entry/Exit System uses biometric data

ETIAS does not involve fingerprinting or photographs. Instead, biometric data will be collected under a separate system called the Entry/Exit System (EES). This system will register fingerprints and a facial image the first time a non-EU traveller enters the Schengen Area, replacing the current system of manual passport stamping. The biometric registration will be valid for three years, and subsequent entries should be quicker as travellers will be able to use automated e-gates where available.

The EES will replace passport stamping

Once EES is fully implemented, passport stamping will end, but there is no confirmed date for this yet, and the rollout will be gradual rather than immediate. Trials and early testing of EES have already caused long delays at some airports, even during quieter travel periods. These issues are now raising concerns about peak summer travel, when many holidaymakers may be using the system for the first time.

Countries can decide to delay or suspend the EES 

To manage these challenges, the EU has adopted a flexible, phased approach, allowing individual countries to delay, limit, or temporarily suspend EES operations if necessary. As a result, manual passport checks and stamping may continue at busy times or in certain locations during the transition period.  As the run-in to the peak-season starts and demand starts ramping up, airport management companies are keeping their fingers crossed that they can keep operations running smoothly throughout the summer period. 

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has begun marketing its first hotel in Venice, which will officially open next summer as Danieli, A Four Seasons Hotel, Venice. 

The Danieli is undergoing renovations 

The hotel, one of the city's landmarks, will welcome guests on 26 August 2026, following an ambitious renovation and repositioning in the luxury segment. Located opposite the lagoon on the Riva degli Schiavoni, and just a few metres from St. Mark's Square, the former Hotel Danieli is being integrated into the group's Italian portfolio.

“A new chapter for the legendary Hotel Danieli”

The hotel occupies three interconnected historic buildings (the 15th-century Palazzo Dandolo, the 19th-century Palazzo Casa Nuova and the 20th-century Palazzo Danieli Excelsior) and has undergone extensive renovation led by French designer Pierre-Yves Rochon. “Venice is a city we have long wanted to welcome into our growing portfolio of luxury experiences, and with deep respect for its place in history and immense enthusiasm for what the future holds, we are opening a new chapter for the legendary Hotel Danieli,” said Adrian Messerli, president of hotel operations for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

A rooftop restaurant and two cocktail bars

The hotel will have 120 rooms and suites, many with direct views of the lagoon, and will be able to accommodate families with connecting rooms. It will be managed by Christian Zandonella, who has previous experience in destinations such as Rome and Capri. The culinary offering centres on the Terrazza Danieli restaurant, located on the hotel's rooftop, under the direction of executive chef Adriano Rausa. The cuisine is based on local products, including ingredients from the island of Sant'Erasmo. The hotel will also feature two cocktail bars and a space dedicated to corporate events and private parties, with approximately 850 sqm of meeting rooms.

Another 56 rooms and suites in 2027

In a second stage, scheduled for completion in late 2026, the Danieli Spa will open, featuring a wellness area, sauna and hammam. In 2027, the hotel will add 56 new rooms and suites, bringing the total accommodation capacity to 176 units. With this opening, Four Seasons consolidates its expansion in Italy, where it is already present in Milan, Florence and Taormina (Sicily), and has new projects in the pipeline, including a resort in Puglia.

Bari's Karol Wojtyla Airport enters the top 15 European airports with the highest passenger traffic growth.

One of the most dynamic airports in Europe

This ranking confirms Bari's Karol Wojtyla Airport’s position as one of the most dynamic airports in Europe, according to a recent analysis by Council International, relating to the first half of 2025.

Reaffirming the strong appeal of Puglia

As reported in a statement by Aeroporti di Puglia, the company that manages Bari airport: “This is an important milestone that confirms Bari airport as one of the airports with the highest growth trend in Europe and reaffirms the strong appeal of Puglia, an increasingly popular destination for foreigners both for leisure and work. The result is a concrete recognition of the region's ability to meet international demand and enhance its economic, cultural and tourist potential.”

Bari airport is 14th in the ranking

Bari airport comes 14th in the ranking. The top three airports are London Heathrow (United Kingdom), the leader in terms of passenger volume, followed by Istanbul (Turkey) and Paris-Charles de Gaulle (France). Trieste closes the ranking.

From 2 February 2026 visitors are faced with paid access to some iconic Roman sites, including the Trevi Fountain.

Visitors pay a €2 entrance fee

Roma Capitale, the body that manages the city, introduced the new tariff for its Civic Museums and heritage sites, introducing paid access for visitors and non-residents to selected landmarks that were previously free. The most high-profile change concerns the Trevi Fountain, where tourists are now required to purchase a €2 entry ticket. 

Also applicable to five civic museums

The same tariff applies to five civic museums that have long been open without charge.  These are the Giovanni Barracco Ancient Sculpture Museum, the Carlo Bilotti - Aranciera di Villa Borghese Museum, the Pietro Canonica Museum, the Napoleonic Museum and Villa di Massenzio.  For non-residents, these measures represent a move toward a “user contribution” model, which means modest entry fees designed to generate revenue for monument maintenance and the overall safeguarding of Rome’s cultural assets. In a city facing record visitor numbers and rising preservation costs, the policy aims to align tourism demand with long-term sustainability.

MIC Card holders do not pay

The new system also strengthens the role of the Roma MIC Card, a €5 annual pass that allows holders, including non-resident individuals living in Rome and university students, to access the civic museum network free for 12 months, avoiding ticket queues where possible, and benefitting from reduced prices on exhibitions and cultural events.

Contributing to preserving iconic sites

With this reform, Rome joins a growing number of global heritage cities that are asking visitors to contribute directly to the preservation of the sites they come to see. For information:  www.museiincomuneroma.it.

Italy is set to welcome some hundred new 5-star hotels in 2026, many through rebrandings, and new trends show how luxury hospitality is no longer being defined by scale alone, but by how it is imagined, executed, and experienced

Some key themes stand out. First, quiet luxury replaces overt opulence with the grand hotel giving way to smaller room counts, discreet service, and calm over spectacle. Sustainability becomes a marker of status with the use of low-impact materials, local sourcing and waste reduction. 

Place becomes the ultimate luxury, with new five-stars embedding craftsmanship, traditional cuisine, and local storytelling into every detail. Guests no longer want a globally familiar product; they want to feel they are there.

Relaxation now extends far beyond the spa, with sleep quality, acoustics, air, and mental balance underpinning wellness in place of fleeting indulgence.  Sophisticated systems discreetly anticipate guest needs as high-tech moves behind the scenes and high-touch is introduced to the experience. 

As 5-stars move towards less panache, more meaning, and a clearer sense of place, Italy is ideally positioned to usher in a new era of luxury hospitality.

Pamela McCourt Francescone
Executive Editor

Promoting the excellence of destination Italy

2026 opens with a significant new partnership between Swadeshi S.p.A., ItaliAbsolutely and Travel OpenDay. In May, the collaboration will debut the first edition of ItaliAbsolutely Signature Travel Connections, bringing together  selected Italian tourism operators with international buyers and promoting the excellence of Italy as a destination.

A 2-day B2B workshop for 40 international buyers

The inaugural edition will take place in May at the 4-star Swadeshi Eurocongressi Hotel in Cavaion Veronese, strategically located between Lake Garda and Verona. The initiative aims to showcase Italy as a unified tourism product while enhancing the role of all industry stakeholders, and key element of the format will be a two-day B2B workshop hosting 40 international buyers.

3-star and 4-star hotels in many destinations

Swadeshi S.p.A. is an Italian hotel group focused on promoting local resources through a portfolio of 3-star and 4-star properties located in the Costa Smeralda, Lake Garda, the Dolomites, the Romagna Riviera and Passo del Tonale. The group brings together diverse destinations under one brand, offering tailored solutions for both leisure and business travellers.

Free summer access to the Riovalli Water Park

“The Swadeshi vision guides our daily work and commitment,” says commercial director Denisa Doru. “The Eurocongressi Hotel is not just a place to stay, but a strategic hub combining business functionality with leisure.” The hotel with 50 standard rooms and 10 renovated junior suites, also has a restaurant highlighting regional flavours and local wines, a wellness centre, and free summer access for guests to the Riovalli Water Park. 

An events hall overlooking the Bardolino vineyards

Its core asset is the conference centre, with nine meeting rooms and an 873 sqm events hall overlooking the Bardolino vineyards, equipped with advanced audiovisual technology. Located near Bardolino, Garda and Lazise, the hotel is also an ideal base for exploring Valpolicella, major amusement parks, thermal spas, and cycling routes connecting the Adige Valley to Lake Garda.

Scheduled to open in June 2026, Chapter Chianti marks the second property in Chapter Italia's portfolio, bringing Marco Cilia's vision of  Medieval village retreat to the hills of Tuscany. 

Just 45 minutes from Florence

Located within a restored 16th-century medieval village just 45 minutes from Florence, the 82-room property challenges expectations of what a Tuscan retreat can be. South African designer Tristan Du Plessis of Studio A has transformed the historic village into a cutting-edge design destination that challenges conventions while respecting its historical heritage. Instead of focusing on terracotta and antiques, Du Plessis uses clean architectural lines, exposed stone and modern Italian design elements to create spaces that are closer to an urban lifestyle hotel than a country retreat, while remaining deeply connected to the landscape and history of the place.

Three restaurants and a 500sqm spa

The property has three restaurants and three bars celebrating both Tuscan tradition and international flavours, as well as a 500sqm that reinterprets wellness as a communal experience. Organized activities immerse guests in authentic Tuscan life with truffle hunting, olive oil harvesting, mountain biking, hiking and stargazing. The Mansion, a five-bedroom villa with a private pool and outdoor entertainment area, offers the ultimate in privacy.

Through its divisions AG Hotels, dedicated to the hotel industry, AG Hotel Consulting is specialized in hotel consultancy, and AG Boutique Journey in inbound tourism.

Specialized in the tailor-made and luxury segment

AG Boutique Journey, specialized in the tailor-made and luxury segment, designs leisure, wedding, MICE and group itineraries with a high experiential value, combining iconic destinations and lesser-known locations. The product is developed by multilingual travel designers and implemented through a selected network of partners and suppliers, with à la carte concierge services and direct quality control throughout all stages of the trip. Distribution is mainly in the B2B sector, through agreements with leading tour operators and international consortia, commercial representation in key markets and a presence on selected B2B marketplaces dedicated to high-end incoming tourism.

Canada accounts for 38% of the demand

The 2026 season is set against a backdrop of solid and diversified international demand, driven by Canada, which today accounts for around 38% of the total, and supported by the Irish, US, Latin American, Australian and New Zealand markets.

“We manage every stage of the trip”

“The focus on local products and authentic experiences is the driving force and distinctive feature of what we offer and today represents the variable around which we build our complete range of leisure, luxury and wedding packages, as well as group and MICE products. We manage every stage of the trip from airport transfers to accommodation and guided tours. We also contract the suppliers so that we can control the quality of the  product and create experiences that meet the expectations of international markets,” says Rocco Moscariello, director of AG Boutique Journey.

Accreditation from Italy’s the main cultural sites

In its 25 years of activity, first as the RSI group and then as AG Boutique Journey, the tour operator has gained accreditation from all the main Italian cultural sites such as the Vatican Museums, the Colosseum Archaeological Park, the Uffizi Galleries in Florence and St Mark's Basilica in Venice, with the number of museums and archaeological sites on the peninsula continuing to grow. 

Focusing on Brazil and the United States

The same is true of suppliers, from transport companies in Sicily, Chianti wineries and grappa distilleries in Veneto and Friuli, the names available allow AG Boutique Journey to put together comprehensive packages that also enable domestic travellers to discover hidden aspects of their country. They also create programmes for groups and individuals based on pre-set formulas which is to say pre-packaged and therefore saleable on the open market to foreign tour operators. By focusing in particular on promotions and investments in Latin America, with a focus on Brazil, as well as in the United States, the 2026 targets of +50% turnover and passengers are easily achievable, depending on the political and macroeconomic context.

Rome confirms its status as the gateway to premium travel in Europe with the opening of Europe’s first Plaza Premium First Lounge.

The spirit of La Dolce Vita

The new Plaza Premium Group First lounge in Rome’s Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport is in the Departures area of Terminal 1.  On an area of over 700 sqm the area can accommodate up to 115 guests in elegant and bright surroundings that echo the spirit of La Dolce Vita in a contemporary key.

“Our mission is to offer excellent airport hospitality”

The inauguration was attended by the founder and CEO of Plaza Premium Group, Song Hoi See, and the CEO of Aeroporti di Roma, Marco Troncone. “With the opening of our first Plaza Premium First Lounge in Europe, we are reinforcing our mission to offer excellent airport hospitality. We chose Rome for Fiumicino’s high level of excellence, for its strategic location, which makes it an increasingly important hub for European air traffic year after year, and for the dynamism of ADR, an exceptional partner that in just a few months has transformed an area of the airport into a space that fully reflects the very high standards of Plaza Premium First,” said Song Hoi See.

“This debut confirms the strategic role of our airport”

“The European debut of Plaza Premium First at Fiumicino confirms the strategic role of our airport on the international scene, and our constant commitment to improving the passenger experience, also recognized by Skytrax's 5-star rating,” said Marco Troncone.

The lounge is open to all passengers 

At the heart of the new Plaza Premium First area is the Primo Dining Room with fine dining and an à la carte menus inspired by Italian and Roman cuisine, complemented by the Aero Bar with signature cocktails, selected regional wines and Italian espresso. Personalized concierge, private suites, meeting rooms, a nursery area, an outdoor patio and spa-level wellness services define an experience designed for the most discerning travellers. The lounge is open to all passengers, regardless of airline and travel class, with access via reservation or direct purchase.