Fusioni & Acquisizioni

🍰 EmergentePastry 2025 concluded successfully, with Nicoletta Nocerino from Torre del Saracino in Vico Equense, Campania, winning the prestigious Italian pastry competition. The finals took place at the Capac in Milan. Contestants under 30 from across Italy presented baked desserts, chocolate desserts, sweet and savory finger food. Special awards went to Michele Di Leva for "best leavened", Matilde Morandi for "best baked dessert", and Alessandro Franchi for "best chocolate dessert". Sponsors included Barry Callebaut and Agugiaro & Figna Molini.

🔮 Rentokil Initial Italia S.p.A acquires Pest Control branch of Ri.Fra. srl, a Sicilian company based in Marsala. The acquisition expands Rentokil's service network in Sicily, enhancing pest management solutions and environmental respect. Founded in 1986, Ri.Fra. specializes in innovative pest control services. Rentokil, operating in over 90 countries with 57,000 employees and £5.4 billion annual turnover, recently incorporated LFree and acquired SOGESsp srl, with a focus on hygiene and pest control, employing over 700 staff in Italy.

🏖️ The TTG Monitor survey at TTG Day reveals that 57% of foreign and 72% of Italian buyers prioritize the value of travel experiences over destinations. Italian tourists prefer deeply engaging with the location (76%), while 55% of foreign buyers agree. Transformative travel experiences are significant for 69% of foreign and 55% of Italian buyers. Multigenerational travel is increasing, reported by 72% of foreign and 50% of Italian buyers. Italy is seen as competitive by 70% of foreign buyers versus 30% of Italian buyers. Rail transport is valued for quality/price by 63% of buyers, local transport by 53%, and maritime by 52%. Artificial intelligence is primarily used by buyers for custom tour planning, traveler assistance, and creating marketing materials, with foreigners being more confident in its administrative and HR applications.

🏠 Independent hotel Palazzo Ripetta, led by Giacomo Crisci of Gruppo Ginobbi, has earned prestige within two years by joining elite clubs like Relais & Chateaux and receiving the Forbes Star Award. Despite the presence of international hotel chains in Italy being low at 20.1%, it's expected to surpass 22% in the next three years, leading to market consolidation. Recently, Gruppo Ginobbi began managing the five villas of Torre Sponda in Positano, indicating plans to replicate Palazzo Ripetta's successful model in heritage-rich, sustainable projects with a personalized service focus. The group is also exploring luxury extended stays and aims to expand into high-tourism cities like Florence, Milan, and Turin, as well as European opportunities through direct acquisitions and strategic partnerships, adhering to their discreet luxury model that emphasizes local identity, sustainability, and Italian excellence.

✈ Ryanair will connect Rimini to 8 destinations—Budapest, Cagliari, Cracovia, Kaunas, Palermo, Praga, Londra Stansted, and Vienna—in summer 2025 with over 50 weekly flights. 2025 marks Ryanair's 27th year at Rimini airport. Fabrizio Francioni calls for the abolition of the Italian municipal tax to boost tourism, promising a $4 billion investment, 40 new aircraft, 80 million annual passengers, 250 new routes, and 1,500 jobs in Italy if the tax is removed.

🎢 Costa Crociere and Emirates renewed their partnership until 2027 to further develop Dubai as a premier cruise destination, offering integrated air, land, and sea transport options. They will collaborate on marketing initiatives, harmonized flight programming, and convenient connections to meet demand from key markets. The partnership includes data sharing, passenger support teams at Dubai Harbour cruise terminal, and advanced transport solutions from Dubai International Airport to the cruise terminal. The companies also aim to expand beyond Dubai into areas like Central and South America, the Far East, and Southeast Asia. Costa Crociere has operated in Dubai's port since 2006, and in winter 2025-2026, their flagship Costa Toscana will offer a "flight+ cruise" package, including a week-long cruise with stops in Dubai, Muscat, Doha, and Abu Dhabi.

🏖️ Freedome, an Italian startup, offers over 4,500 outdoor experiences nationwide, with a 350,000-member community and more than 1,500 professional operators. They partnered with Ruralis, which manages vacation homes with a focus on Italy's lesser-explored regions like historic villages and rural areas, aiming to enhance local communities. Ruralis simplifies rental management for homeowners, from advertising to booking, payments, and guest communication. The collaboration allows Ruralis guests to access dedicated offers on Freedome's outdoor activities. Activities include horseback riding, quad excursions, rafting, boating, paragliding, hot air ballooning, and more—benefiting tourists with authentic local experiences and homeowners with longer guest stays.

🍷 Gruppo Montenegro becomes the exclusive distributor for Rémy Cointreau in Italy starting April 1, 2025. Twelve brands, including Cointreau orange liqueur, The Botanist gin, and Telmont Champagne, will be distributed. Sergio Fava, CEO of Gruppo Montenegro, and Ian McLernon, CEO of Rémy Cointreau EMEA, Asia-Pacific, and Global Travel Retail, express confidence in the collaboration's success and growth opportunities for their premium spirits portfolios. Founded in 1885, Gruppo Montenegro is a market leader in alcoholic beverages and food, housing renowned Italian brands and international premium spirits. Rémy Cointreau aims to be the world leader in exceptional spirits, with a portfolio of 14 unique brands and 1,943 employees.

🌍 Abercrombie & Kent, founded in 1962 by Geoffrey Kent, unveiled a complete brand identity restyling, embodying tradition with an elegant aesthetic. The new tagline, 'Life, Well-Travelled', conveys transformative travel experiences. Peter Chipchase, chief marketing officer at A&K Travel Group, emphasized the company's ethos of 'adventure by day, luxury by night'. A global team of journey designers crafts unique luxury travel experiences. The rebranding includes a modern monogram by King & Partners, signifying journey and discovery, and a revamped digital presence with a unified website and cohesive social media channels. Senior team members hail from prestigious luxury and lifestyle brands like Belmond, Soho House, LVMH, De Beers, Bally, and L'Oréal. The rebrand also evolves Sanctuary Retreats into A&K Sanctuary, enhancing high-end safari camps, lodges, and riverboats, including the launch of A&K's first riverboat in Peru. A new magazine, 'Souvenir', accompanies the rebrand, featuring renowned travel writers and photographers.

🍦 Mixue Ice Cream and Tea, Chinese low-cost ice cream and beverage chain, surpassed McDonald's (42,000 stores) and Starbucks (40,000 stores) with around 45,000 outlets by end of 2024—doubling its presence in three years. Primarily expanding in Asia and Australia, Mixue now aims for a Hong Kong IPO to raise up to $510 million, targeting a valuation close to $10 billion. Founded in 1997, an average ice cream at Mixue costs $0.83. It operates mainly through low-cost franchising, with significant revenue from sales of supplies to affiliates. The company is China's largest lemon buyer and has no immediate plans to enter the U.S. market, with 90% of stores in China and the rest across ten Asian countries and Australia.