The origins of Il Delfino, a new oceanside inn in the surf town of Yamba on Australia’s east coast, go back to its founder’s childhood. “I grew up in this area, fascinated by this ramshackle surf cottage,” says the Australian fashion stylist Sheree Commerford. “Having it was a secret dream for as long as I can remember.” At the end of 2021, Commerford bought the building, which had previously been a rustic family lodge, and spent the last two years transforming it into a four-room inn and bungalow that she opened last month. “We wanted to keep all its original midcentury features but add inspiration from some of my favorite travels in the Mediterranean,” she says. That means whitewashed walls, citrus trees in terra-cotta pots and a terrace with Italian-made sun beds and uninterrupted ocean views. The guest rooms, which are named for Italian destinations like Ravello and Ischia, are all equipped with kitchens and each feature a colorful mural by the Australian artist Heidi Middleton. There’s no restaurant at the hotel, but staff will organize breakfast boxes upon request and recommend places to eat in Yamba. They can also help arrange whale-watching excursions, in-house massages and surf lessons.
Americans ditch suffocating healthcare costs and divisive politics to retire in Italy: 'It's the way they approach life'
05.05.2024 - 11:19 / insider.com
Eric and Christina Schwendeman's relationship got serious the day he brought up retirement.
"I have a long-term plan," Eric, 53, recalled telling his now-wife nearly two decades ago. "I want to work as hard as possible and retire to Italy as young as I possibly can."
At the time, the couple lived in Naples, Florida, which is more than 5,000 miles and a 13-hour long-haul flight from Italy.
"He was like, 'That's my goal. If you're on board for that, then let's do this,'" Christina, 40, said.
The Schwendemans began planning for their life outside the United States about 17 years ago, but an increasing number of Americans these days are following their example.
The US State Department estimated that 9 million American citizens lived abroad in 2020, which is a jump from 5 million in 2010.
There used to be a seemingly clear-cut path to retirement in the United States.
People worked until 65, then left the workforce with the help of Social Security and personal savings. That began shifting in the 1980s when Americans gravitated toward defined-contribution plans — like 401(k)s — instead of defined-benefit plans like pensions. This has shifted more responsibility onto employees to determine how much to invest and save.
"Put simply, the shift from defined benefit to defined contribution has been, for most people, a shift from financial certainty to financial uncertainty," BlackRock CEO Larry Fink wrote in a 2024 letter to investors.
Millions of baby boomers now struggle to cover their cost of living.
An AARP survey in April found that one in five Americans who are 50 or older have no retirement savings, and more than half of respondents were concerned they wouldn't have enough to support themselves if they retired.
So, as retirement in the United States gets bleak, some Americans are looking elsewhere. Specifically, they are looking to Italy, which ranks among the top 20 countries with the most generous retirement systems.
For the Schwendemans, the opportunity to leave the United States arrived in 2022.
Eric and Christina worked in the automotive industry, which was severely impacted by the pandemic. About 575,000 jobs in the industry were lost by the fall 2021.
"We could see that the automotive industry was going to take a turn around the same time that we were seeing it in the housing industry," Christina said. "We said, 'It's probably a good time for us to leave our jobs and sell our house.'"
They moved to Clavesana, a small town of less than 900 people in Italy's Piedmont region and purchased a home that sits on just under an acre of land. Eric and Christina did not share the exact cost, but said the home was about 150 euros — or $161 — per square foot.
Although moving to Italy was always a dream, the
How Ritz-Carlton Hotels Are Making a Positive Impact Around the World
In October 2023, as the races at the Mexico City Grand Prix electrified track-side spectators, a quieter but no less meaningful moment unfolded at the city's Gota de Leche School. Associates of The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City and members of the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team came together to create a bright, cheery, and well-stocked arts and crafts room for its students, with a view to improving the quality of arts programming as well as creating capacity for creative enrichment. As another gift to the students, the volunteers also packed school bags filled with new art supplies, including a handwritten letter from each of them.
Postcard From the Pontine Islands: This Louis Vuitton Artistic Director Owns a Cave on the Italian Archipelago
“The Isole Pontine are very special to me. I have been visiting Ventotene and Ponza, the larger two of the six islands, since I was a child, as my family was one of the first to buy property on Ventotene. My mother was born in Rome, and it’s where my parents first met. Even though we lived abroad all our lives, we always returned to Italy to visit relatives. My family’s a bit unusual in that Romans tend to holiday more in Ponza, whereas Ventotene is more Neapolitan.”
I toured an Arizona neighborhood that banned cars and found a walkable oasis in the middle of a Phoenix suburb
Walkable neighborhoods are on the rise. In a country run by cars, many millennials and Gen Zers are willing to spend more to live in a community where it's easy to get around without a vehicle, according to a 2023 study by the National Association of Realtors.
SAS expands connectivity to Scandibavian Winter destinations
SAS is broadening its winter travel offerings by introducing five new direct routes to Northern Scandinavia, including Tromsø, Kiruna, Rovaniemi, and Scandinavian Mountain Airport Sälen-Trysil.
RiminiWellness 2024: Shaping the future of wellness and fitness industry
The General States of Fitness and Wellness return to Rimini Expo with insights into the future of the market and universal access to well-being.
Paradies Lagardère announces Q1 restaurant openings at Atlanta, Boston and Oklahoma City Airports
North American travel restaurateur expands Food and Beverage offerings with mix of beloved local and national brands.
Europeans defy costs and conflicts to embrace travel in Summer 2024
75% of Europeans plan to travel between May and October 2024, with interest in leisure travel rising 5% compared to last year. Older age groups are especially eager to travel, while younger travellers are more likely to book in advance.
WTTC and IC Bellagio partner for new consumer campaign
The WTTC, in partnership with IC Bellagio, launches the Community Conscious Travel campaign, promoting sustainable tourism and empowering communities to balance tourism with environmental stewardship.
Global Travel Marketplace expands and rebrands as Connecting Travel Marketplace
Connecting Travel Marketplace, formerly Global Travel Marketplace, is set to expand with new editions in the UK and Italy, enhancing its role in connecting high-spend travel industry professionals. This evolution aligns with Jacobs Media’s 15th anniversary and aims to boost global travel business opportunities.
IEG: The Board of Directors approves the consolidated interim report as of March 31, 2024 - Revenues at 88.9m. euros
Revenues are+15.4% compared to first quarter 202; Adjusted EBITDA at 34.3 million, Adjusted EBITDA margin at 38.6%, +6,5 pts compared to March 31, 2023.
The Vinoy Resort and Golf Club hires Chris Major as Golf and Club Operations GM
Former General Manager of Black Diamond Ranch to join the iconic Florida resort.