A pilot project for the creation of an innovative and modular hospitality network including a system of non-hotel accommodation facilities that already exist that can be used for Expo 2015 and, in general, for mega events in Milan

1. Volume Zerø
for EXPO 2015

2. Summary:
• Volume Zerø - What it is 1
• Pilot Phase: - the Aim 2
- The Districts 3
• What were we Looking for/Evaluating 4
• The Methodology Adopted 5
• What have we Selected as Priority Locations and Why 6
• Presence on Public Transport Net 7
• Facilities Analyzed 11
• Proposed Structures 12
• Findings and Conclusions of Analysis 17
• Current Scenario and Suggestions 18
•International Benchmarking 24
• Suggested Promotion 26
• Altomilanese Area – Attractivity 27
• Legnano Attractiveness Case 28
• Final Conclusions 33

3. Volume Zerø - What it is:
An innovative hospitality concept, based on the creation
of a network of already existing non-accommodating
facilities, in order to exploit them in the occasion of Expo
2015 and, in general, for other events happening
occasionally or on a regular basis, in the city of Milan.
1

4. Pilot Phase: the Aim
To focus on an area comprised between the provinces of Milan
and Varese (that is between Malpensa International Airport and
the Rho-Pero Fair Area) concentrating on 23 districts presently
clustered in a Consortium called Altomilanese.
The ultimate goal is that of mapping all the facilities found in these
towns and that have been considered suitable to serve potential
guests’ needs.
2

5. Pilot Phase: the Districts
Legnano Area
1. Busto Garolfo
2. Canegrate
3. Cerro Maggiore
4. Dairago
5. Legnano
6. Nerviano
7. Parabiago
8. Rescaldina
9. S. Giorgio su Legnano
10. S. Vittore Olona
11. Villa Cortese
Castano Primo Area
12. Arconate
13. Bernate Ticino
14. Buscate
15. Castano Primo
16. Casorezzo
17. Cuggiono
18. Inveruno
19. Magnago
20. Nosate
21. Robecchetto con Induno
22. Turbigo
23. Vanzaghello
3

6. What were we Looking for
Old Boarding Schools, Monasteries, Elderly Homes,
Parking Areas: all in good conditions.
What were we Evaluating
• Typology of the building
• Date of Construction
• Historical value
• General Conditions
• Qualities and Flaws
• Past/Present Use of the Facility
• Location
• Ownership and Management
• Website
• Number of Restrooms (common/private)
• Furniture
• Number of Rooms
• Accessibility for Disabled
People
• For Smokers or Nonsmokers
• Heating System
• Air Conditioning System
• Double Glazed Windows
• Possible Constraints
(curfew, min./max. period
of use)
• Services Provided
(reception, F&B, bar,
laundrette,
housekeeping…)
4

7. The Methodology Adopted:
• Got in touch with the EXPO Representatives in all districts;
• Sheduled meetings;
• Discussed the possible options;
• Collected contacts;
• Got in touch with facilities supervisors: - Police Dpt. for Camping Areas;
- Mother Superior for the Monastery;
- Council Members;
- Mayors;
• Visited facilities;
• Evaluated facilities;
• Analyzed results;
• Decided which ones had a higher potential.
5

8. What have we Selected as Priority
Locations…
Legnano
Nerviano
Rescaldina
1. Presence on public transport net;
2. Presence of local attractions/offers;
3. Possibility to invest in the project;
4. Interest in taking part in the initiative.
6
…and Why

9. 1. Presence on Public Transport Net:
Considered
Area
7

10. Train Transport:
Direct connections to:
Malpensa Airport;
Expo Site;
Rho Fiera;
Milano City Center.
8

11. Bus Transport:
LINE MOVIBUS Z601, Stopping at:
Legnano, Parabiago, Nerviano, Rho, Rho Fiera, Molino Dorino (MI)
http://www.movibus.it/chi-siamo/carta-della-mobilita/book/8.html
9

12. Cycling Paths:
10

13. Facilities Analyzed:
11
High Potential
Low Potential
for a total of approximately
520 beds
Location Remodeling Time-Frame Investment Required Target
"Barbara Melzi" Institute Legnano Long High Leisure: Groups, Young people
Legnano Short Low
Leisure: Small groups, Young
people
Buscate Short Low
Leisure: Families, Young
people
Caravan Areas Buscate Short Low
Leisure: Families, Young
people
Elderly Home Legnano Short High Leisure: Families, Groups
Houses owned by City Halls
Rescaldina,
Turbigo, Arconate Medium Medium Business, Leisure: Families
Hospital Legnano Long High Leisure: Families, Groups
Military Base Legnano Long High Leisure: Groups, Young people
"San Magno" Oratory Legnano Long High Leisure: Groups, Young people
Camping Areas

14. Proposed structures:
Elderly Home
• Legnano City Centre
• 100 rooms
• Up to 200 guests
• 5 floors, rooms with private toilet but common showers
• large garden
• no large investments needed
Possible target
Country delegations that will spend 6 months in town for the EXPO
12

15. Proposed structures:
Houses owned by town councils
• Rescaldina, Turbigo, Arconate
• Some need restructuring, some already in the
process of being restructured
• Low/medium investment required
• Low capacity (around 10 guests per house)
Possible target
Small country delegations that will spend 6 months in town for the EXPO
13

16. Proposed structures:
Camping areas
• Legnano, Buscate
• Several available spots for camping and caravans
• Low investment required
Possible target
Low budget tourists interested in camping, cycling and other sports
14

17. X Istituto Barbara Melzi
• Legnano City Centre
• Not available – hosting teachers from out of
town
X Oratorio San Magno
• Legnano City Centre
• Not available – hosting students during
summer
15
Proposed structures:

18. X Old Hospital
• Legnano City Centre
• Not available – still partially in use as hospital
plus other ongoing projects
X Old Military Base (Caserma Cadorna)
• Legnano City Centre
• In disuse for the last 15 years
• Large investments required
16
Proposed structures:

19. Findings:
• Impact on current accommodation offer:
The available structures found could add around 250 beds (0.3%) to
the current 87,105 beds available in the Milan area (province);
• Additional 270 «beds» in Camping and Caravan Areas;
17
Conclusions of Analysis:
• Short term: not a large number of extra beds in the investigated area;
• Long term: potential renewal of facilities like the Military Base.

20. 18

21. Tourists Flows 2013 vs.
Accommodation Capacity 19
6.299.854
87.105
Flows Milan Province Total
Italian Arrivals 1.763.765 1.089.322 2.853.087
Foreign Arrivals 2.758.885 687.882 3.446.767
Arrivals: Total 4.522.650 1.777.204 6.299.854
Presence of Italians 3.845.727 2.344.206 6.189.933
Presence of foreigners 6.076.641 1.307.028 7.383.669
Presence: Total 9.922.368 3.651.234 13.573.602
Considered Unities Milan Province Total
Facilities 787 438 1.225
Rooms 30.114 13.454 43.568
Beds 59.390 27.715 87.105

22. 20
Accommodation Statistics:
Type of structure Milan
2013
Province
2013
Total
2013
Total
2005
∆∆∆∆ %
2005/2013
Hotel 5* 4.894 100 4.994 6.168 -19%
Hotel 4* 28.280 16.366 44.646 28.956 54%
Hotel 3* 10.196 5.061 15.257 25.592 -40%
Hotel 2* 1.720 818 2.538 3.447 -26%
Hotel 1* 1.739 325 2.064 3.091 -33%
Residence 4.540 3.445 7.985 n.a. n.a
Total Beds Hospitality 51.369 26.115 77.484 67.254 15%
B&B 428 758 1.186 222 434%
Camping 1.116 - 1.116 1.332 -16%
Other 6.477 842 7.319 1.737 321%
Total Beds Alternative
Accomodation
8.021 1.600 9.621 3.291 192%
Total number of beds 59.390 27.715 87.105 70.545 23%
Number of beds in Milan and ProvinceNumber of beds in Milan and ProvinceNumber of beds in Milan and ProvinceNumber of beds in Milan and Province

23. 21
Accommodation Statistics:
Bed Distribution in the province
of Milan
Bed Distribution in Milan
• In the last eight years the only hotel category that showed
an increase in the number of beds was the 4*
• The number of beds in alternative accomodation has also
increased in the period, although still low in proportion to the
total number of beds available in Milan and province.

24. 22
Expected Arrivals EXPO 2015: 20.000.000
Accommodation Capacity as for 2013: 87.105 beds
Total extra beds potentially available in the Altomilanese
Area: 520

25. Suggestions:
• Promote existing hospitality structures (hotels, hostels, B&B) available in
all cities easily reachable by train and cities on the Sempione (direct bus
to Expo site);
• Incentivate new temporary/permanent B&B openings: many districts
showed a great interest into involving private citizens into the process
(Rescaldina);
• Promote room rentals on sites such as Casevacanze, Temporaryhouse,
Homelidays, Homeaway, Airbnb, Halldis, Home2home;
• Promote the Altomilanese area – emphasizing the touristic attractions,
ease of reach and, above all, the affordability;
• In the long term, according to available budget, renew the military
base (Caserma Cadorna) in Legnano, turning it into accomodation
structure.
23

26. International Benchmarking:
Considering how certain destinations improved their accommodation
capacity during mega events, such as Olympic Games 2012, we thought about
following their example.
The first and only website advertising private gardens as micro
campsites; providing accessible, affordable and fun alternatives to
traditional accommodation around the world.
24
Use private and/or disused garden areas in order
to turn them into camping sites for EXPO visitors.

27. A website that allows you to rent apartments while
their owners are out of town, whether it be for a
weekend or for a month.
Restructuring and conversion of military bases in Germany. For
example, Fulda Military Base has now become a touristic
attraction.
25
Restructure Cadorna Military Base in Legnano and
use it as an accommodation site for sport tourism.
Reuse first and second homes/rooms and rent
them to EXPO visitors.

28. 26
Suggested Promotion:
Explora website
Expo website
Social media
visitamilano.it

29. Altomilanese area – Attractivity:
• History & Art
• Easy access to Lakes (Varese, Como, Maggiore, Orta, Monate,
Comabbio...) and the Ticino river
• Parks (Ticino, Alto Milanese, Roccolo, Roggie...)
• Shopping
Legnano: Dolce & Gabbana outlet
Parabiago: shoe factories (Frateli Rossetti, Ricardo Banfi, Luciano
Padovani…)
Rescaldina: outlet Bassetti, outlet Aspesi, Grancasa (Italian kitchenware)
Olgiate Olona: Lindt outlet
Vertemate su Como: Giorgio Armani outlet
• Gastronomy (diversity and great value for money: Italian, Japanese,
Chinese, Turkish, fast food chains such as McDonalds and Burger
King…)
27

30. 28

31. History and Art in Legnano:
The newly
restored
Medieval
Castle
gets burnt»
every year
during the city
summer
festival
Leone Da
Perego
Palace:
permanent
exhibition
centre since
2001
Sustermeister
Civic Museum
hosts
temporary
exhibitions
Beautiful
churches Beautiful
frescoes
29

32. Legnano people’s victory
over the emperor Federico Il
Barbarossa is remembered
every last Sunday of May
with an historical parade
and a horse race
The dresses for the Palio are
hand crafted
re-creating precise medieval
style and can be seen at
each Contrada’s
headquarters on request
30Palio di Legnano:

33. Former foundry
Franco Tosi will host a
library and the
Labour Museum
Theatre Galleria in
Legnano city
centre is a
historical theatre,
movie theatre and
conference
centre The Monument
to Alberto da
Guissano is a
memento of
the 1176 Battle
of Legnano
31

34. Sports in Legnano:
The 5 Mulini running race
runs around five historical
mills in Legnano since
1933
Parco Ticino offers
runners multiple
choice of paths and
challenges in a
beautiful and healthy
environment
Legnano is famous
for its bicycle brand,
founded in 1902,
and the biking team
going by the same
name
32

35. Final Conclusions:
33
1) “Home of Delegations”: The re-use of available
structures results in an increased capacity of
approximately 200 beds in the short term which could be
used to host some of the delegations coming to Expo for
work.
2) “Restructuring & Conversion”: In the long term, the
Alto Milanese Area could profit from Expo and start a
programme of conversion of disused structures and green
areas.
3) “B&B proposal”: Volume Zero could enhance the
cooperation between local administrations and private
citizens resulting in the creation of new economic
resources for the territory.