Delta Open Air Resort: New $85 Million Resort Is Taking Shape in Italy’s Po Delta
A new hospitality development is taking shape along Italy’s northern Adriatic coast, bringing more than 1,250 accommodation units, a 73-room hotel, four pools and a 2,360-square-meter wellness center to the Po Delta.
Delta Open Air Resort, currently under construction in Porto Garibaldi, part of the municipality of Comacchio in Emilia-Romagna, is scheduled to open in May 2027. The approximately $85 million (€73 million) project will occupy about 390,000 square meters, or 39 hectares, of privately owned land and is expected to accommodate as many as 5,000 guests.
The scale of the project puts it among the larger open-air tourism developments in the Emilia-Romagna region, but its concept goes beyond the traditional camping model. The resort is being designed to combine hotel accommodations, villas, cottages, equipped pitches and open-air lodging with restaurants, wellness, swimming pools, sports and access to the surrounding Po Delta.
A Different Kind of Coastal Resort
The accommodation mix is intended to give the property several different entry points for travelers.
Plans call for approximately 900 open-air accommodation units, 170 equipped pitches, 95 Garden Villas and Cottages, and a 73-room hotel.
That variety reflects the broader concept behind Delta Open Air Resort: guests can choose between a more traditional hotel stay and accommodations that put them closer to the landscape.
The property will also have three restaurants, an internal market, a food truck and several bars. Four swimming pools will be accompanied by water slides, whirlpools and a solarium.
A private beach will add another connection to the Adriatic, while sports facilities, outdoor activities and entertainment are planned throughout the property.
Wellness at the Center
Wellness is a significant part of the development rather than an ancillary amenity.
The resort is planning approximately 2,360 square meters of wellness facilities, including wellness circuits, treatments and massages.
That component is also tied to the project's ambition to attract visitors beyond the traditional summer beach season. Together with its conference facilities, the wellness center is intended to help position the resort as a year-round destination.
The property will have five meeting rooms with capacity for up to 300 people, allowing it to accommodate corporate meetings, conferences, incentive programs and private events.
Exploring the Po Delta
Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of the project is its location.
Porto Garibaldi sits within the Po Delta, one of Europe's important wetland landscapes, and close to the historic town of Comacchio. The area is known for its lagoons, waterways, coastal environments and cultural heritage.
Rather than keeping guests within the resort, the development plans to organize excursions and itineraries into the surrounding area.
Those experiences are expected to include visits focused on the natural, historical and cultural heritage of Comacchio and the Po Delta, as well as partnerships with local businesses and organizations.
For visitors coming from abroad, the location also provides access to several of Northern Italy's major destinations. Ravenna is about 19 miles (30 kilometers) away, Ferrara approximately 37 miles (60 kilometers), and both Bologna and Venice are roughly 62 miles (100 kilometers) from the resort.
An International Focus
International travelers are expected to account for a significant portion of the resort's business. The development is targeting visitors from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands, Denmark and Poland, with an objective of approximately 60% international guests.
That focus is consistent with the resort's location. Rather than competing solely for the traditional Italian summer market, the project is being structured around longer-season travel, wellness, outdoor recreation and short breaks that can combine the coast with nearby cultural destinations.
Sustainability
The environmental component of the development extends beyond energy efficiency. Plans include the restoration of approximately five hectares of woodland, the planting of more than 1,500 trees and the introduction of approximately 600 plant species throughout the property.
The resort will also have a 2.7-megawatt photovoltaic power plant, along with intelligent energy-management systems designed to control and optimize consumption.
Construction is expected to incorporate bio-based solutions and recyclable materials, while the accommodation units will use concealed Micro VRF air-conditioning systems.
The result is intended to be a development where landscaping and environmental restoration are part of the resort infrastructure rather than simply decorative elements.
A Project More Than a Decade in the Making
Delta Open Air Resort has been in development for more than a decade.
The project began in 2014, received planning approval in 2017, and obtained its building permit in 2024. The investment is approximately $85 million (€73 million).
The project is being developed from the vision of Ted Tomasi, with tourism executive Adriano D’Andrea Ricchi, CEO of Tomasi Tourism, involved in the development.
According to D’Andrea Ricchi, the intention is to create a contemporary open-air hospitality model that connects the resort with the surrounding territory rather than treating the property as a destination separate from Comacchio.
When it opens in May 2027, Delta Open Air Resort will bring together hotel accommodations, villas, cottages, open-air lodging, restaurants, pools, wellness, meeting facilities and outdoor activities across 39 hectares.
Its larger proposition, however, will be the landscape beyond the property: the Po Delta, the Adriatic coastline and the historic communities of Emilia-Romagna.