Il San Domenico Palace is the oldest and most prestigious hotel in Taormina, an essential Italian destination for the Grand Tour of royalty and nobles and for decades a point of reference for writers, intellectuals and movie stars such as Audrey Hepburn and Ingrid Bergman. It is from its panoramic terrace that in 2017 the leaders of the seven most economically advanced states on the planet watched the spectacle of the tricolor arrows circling the sky of the Ionian Sea at the conclusion of the G7 meeting in Taormina.
After three years of renovation, the San Domenico Palace has reopened its doors under the banner of the luxury multinational Four Seasons. And he did so - courageously - in a difficult year for national and international tourism, which is trying to rise from the ashes after the near-deadly blows inflicted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
FIRSTonline interviewed the director of the San Domenico Four Seasons, Lorenzo Maraviglia, to understand how the summer season is going in Taormina, a coveted destination for luxury tourism, and what are the prospects for the sector after the difficult 2020 experienced due to the Covid emergency.
Director Maraviglia, is it possible to take stock of this summer 2021?
“We can speak of a fairly "soft" trend, but despite this, the balance is positive. For us this is the first season as San Domenico Four Seasons, we have just reopened and we started from scratch. So we're still very happy with what we're doing. Obviously we would have hoped for slightly higher numbers, especially in relation to the Anglo-Saxon market which has always been the leader in this period of the year, but considering the current national and international context, the results we are obtaining are very good”.
The month of August is traditionally the busiest, how is it going?
“In August the occupancy rate of the San Domenico Four Season is 60-70%, a fairly high percentage. However, we must take into account the fact that, before the outbreak of the pandemic, it was impossible to find a bed in Taormina in these weeks. The hotels were all fully booked several months earlier. Another factor to take into consideration is the absence of a "certain type" of clientele. In hotels it is not only the occupancy that counts, but the rates which applies to rooms and budgets that can be spent on the services that the hotel provides: catering, spa and so on. We don't just sell rooms, we sell a complete experience. So to close the inventory not only that 30-40% of employment is missing, but also the important portfolios that usually make the difference in Taormina”.
What is the current profile of the tourist who chooses the San Domenico Four Seasons? Are the foreign customers back or is it still the Italian customers who dominate?
“To date, the most important market for us is the Italian one. It's very important, it's not a secondary market and we're very happy with the response we're getting. In second place is the US market and the Swiss one is also doing very well. We also have some arrivals from Germany. On the other hand, there is a lack of other "strong" markets such as the English one, which has always been fundamental, or the Russian one. The Asian market is almost totally absent. So there are not those three, four supports that usually make Taormina a very attractive destination. However, we have hopes for September - October which is the preferred month for Americans because the heat fades and the beauties of Taormina become even more enjoyable. Future arrivals from the UK, on the other hand, are more unlikely, given that it seems that the restrictions on re-entry are set to remain even in September".
The possible return of Sicily to the yellow zone could represent a further problem for the near future, then?
“Absolutely yes, because this type of message limits everyday life, influencing the management of customers, partners, suppliers and personnel. But above all because they are messages that destabilize the market, public opinion and above all the luxury travel agencies which are the ones on which we base most of our resources today. These agencies know the dynamics of the market, they know that if a specific Region turns yellow it is a destination to be avoided. If, on the other hand, all of Italy passes into the yellow zone, customers are automatically redirected to other destinations such as Greece, where life can be easier. The yellow zone is therefore a concrete danger that we are keeping under observation ”.
What do you think of the current controversy regarding the prices of accommodation facilities? Is it true that many hotels have doubled them?
“Hotel prices are dictated by the market. We analyze supply and demand trying to find that point of equilibrium which allows us to maintain a certain type of standard and image. When you come to the San Domenico Four Seasons you know and you must know that it is the most prestigious hotel in Taormina. We don't strategically set prices at the table, but we simply rely on the law of supply and demand: if there are no bookings, prices are reduced slightly, if too many arrive, they increase to manage the volume. I must say that, as far as I can see, if the prices have been changed, they have been adjusted slightly downwards. An increase would be a form of masochism because demand is not high today, so by increasing prices there is the risk of suffering. It would not make sense".
The San Domenico Palace has reopened after three years of closure with an important novelty: entry into the Four Seasons…
“We have carried out a very deep restoration that has brought the old glory of San Domenico back to the surface. What a company like Four Seasons can do with a structure so rich in historical, architectural and cultural content is provide an even wider social and international platform than it had in the past. And therefore to make San Domenico known not only in Sicily and in Italy, but also in the world. Our American, Anglo-Saxon, Middle Eastern and Asian customers follow us for this too. We are not a hotel that sells rooms and square meters, we sell an experience that is also based on our history. Having so much content is an important gift, especially for our communication office, which, having so many topics to talk about, is forced to choose and identify priorities. What we intend to do this year is to commit ourselves to bring the beautiful story of San Domenico around the world”.
