PRIVATE WEALTH
BY TARRYN-LEIGH SOLOMONS
A € 250 000 INVESTMENT IN A BOUTIQUE HOTEL IN VENICE NOW OFFERS SOUTH AFRICAN FAMILIES A PATHWAY TO ITALIAN RESIDENCY, EU MOBILITY, AND LONG-TERM RETURNS THROUGH ORIENCE’ S ITALY INVESTOR VISA PROGRAMME.
Venice, with its winding canals, centuries-old palazzos, and worldrenowned cultural heritage, has always captured the imagination. Yet, beyond the romance, it is quickly becoming one of Europe’ s most attractive strategic investment locations, particularly for African families seeking to secure EU residency through property ownership.
According to Lisa Bathurst, Orience’ s Southern Africa Manager, this offering is a refreshing alternative for investors who are willing to look beyond cryptocurrency and high-risk start-ups.“ We are delighted to present this well-structured Italy Investor Visa, which promises investors Italian residency – and eventually citizenship- with a € 250 000 investment into a tokenised share of a boutique hotel in Venice. This isn’ t a timeshare or faceless equity fund; it is genuine ownership of a hotel in one of the world’ s most visited cities,” she says.
“ Consider this a chance to invest in a property you can actually live in, within a city you’ ll want to visit. And one that offers EU residency for your entire family, with projected annual returns of 3-5 %, a five-year exit plan, and a ten-year route to full Italian( and EU) citizenship,” Lisa says.“ It’ s an excellent opportunity to give your family residency and citizenship in a more stable country with a larger economy.”
Italian residency grants mobility across the 26 countries of the Schengen zone, access to education in top-ranked EU schools and universities, healthcare within one of the world’ s best systems, and family inclusion – spouse and children under 18 – with citizenship achievable in 10 years and only a minimal requirement of one day per year of presence.
Orience, an established and globally renowned business specialising in international residency and citizenship opportunities, is the first to offer this chance.
“ At half the price of a Portuguese investment residency scheme, which, due to recent policy shifts, has changed the landscape, this Italian residency opportunity is a cost-effective option. The bricks and mortar boutique hotel is also just good business as Venice is in huge demand as a tourist destination and hence demand for hotel rooms consistently outpaces supply,” says Bathurst. IB
22 INBOUND SA / December 2025