Fusioni & Acquisizioni

🏡 LVG Hotel Collection announced the incorporation of the Hotel Pallanza in Verbania into its portfolio, marking its 11th hotel and 4th on Lago Maggiore. This addition brings the total room count in the area to 190 and projected 2024 revenue to €7.24 million. Hotel Pallanza, with 51 rooms, offers lake views, free Wi-Fi, minibar, air conditioning, and satellite TV. The hotel's restaurant blends tradition with innovation, complemented by a selection of local wines.

🏠 LMDV Hospitality Group, led by Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio, acquires 100% of Gruppo Twiga from Flavio Briatore's Majestas Group, merging with Triple Sea Food (Casa Fiori Chiari, Trattoria del Ciumbia, Vesta). Expansion includes Vesta's relocation to Twiga in Forte dei Marmi, transformation of ex-Billionaire into Twiga in Sardinia with two restaurants, Vesta's introduction in Montecarlo and Baia Beniamin, and a new Twiga opening in Milan scheduled for September.

🏨 IHG acquired Ruby Hotels, including an initial hotel in Florence and an upcoming one in Rome, for €110.5 million. Ruby, founded in 2013, operates 20 hotels with 3,483 rooms across Europe and plans 10 more hotels, adding 2,235 rooms. Including cities like London, Vienna, Geneva, and Zurich, future openings are scheduled in Edinburgh, Marseille, Rome, and Stockholm within three years. The integration of Ruby hotels into IHG's system is set to start in 2025, increasing IHG's global system size by 0.3%, with an expected €10 million integration operational cost. Ruby has a 26% five-year CAGR and aims to grow to over 120 hotels in 10 years with IHG, potentially reaching 250 in 20 years.

🏨 BWH Hotels Italia & Malta closed 2024 with a turnover of €377 million, an average annual occupancy rate of 74%, and an Adr increase of +3.8%. Key destination Adr increases included Rome (+7.8%), Padova (+7.1%), and Firenze (+5.6%). The RevPar rose by an average of 2.7% from 2023, with regional highs in Veneto (+11%) and Lazio (+8%). Compared to 2019, Adr and RevPar have grown by 34% and 38.5%, respectively. CEO Sara Digiesi highlighted over 100 destinations covered and customer satisfaction growth. The Revenue Generating Index (RGI) from STR stood at 114, surpassing market averages. For the winter period, room occupancy and Adr grew by 4%, and spring-summer bookings are up by 10% with a 3% higher Adr. BWH is undertaking 42 renovation projects and has made 61 PMS technology upgrades. In expansion efforts, 12 new locations were launched in 2024, with 6 affiliations forthcoming, adding a total of 769 rooms to the network.

📌 IHG acquires Ruby brand for an initial purchase price of €110.5 million. Currently, Ruby manages 20 hotels (3,483 rooms) across major European cities and has 10 more in the pipeline (2,235 rooms). IHG's goal is to expand Ruby to over 120 hotels in the next decade, and more than 250 in 20 years. Ruby Group maintains operational independence while IHG aims to develop a third-party franchising business. The strategic framework ensures close collaboration while preserving Ruby's identity and innovative approach. Ruby's efficient operational model, including automation and self-service to maintain low labor costs without compromising personalized service, is protected under the agreement. Ruby hotels are located in Germany (9), the UK (3), Austria (3), Switzerland (2), Italy (1), Ireland (1), and the Netherlands (1); with future openings in Edinburgh, Marseille, Rome, and Stockholm within three years. Elie Maalouf, CEO of IHG, and Michael Struck, CEO of The Ruby Group, express confidence in the brand's growth and efficiency for investors and real estate partners.

🚙 Flix Group, celebrating their 12-year anniversary since the first FlixBus left from Munich, is expanding in Latin America by launching bus services in Peru. André Schwämmlein, CEO and co-founder, sees Latin America as a huge opportunity due to limited railway infrastructure and an airport network connecting only major cities; the market is worth approximately €18 billion. Since arriving in Latin America in 2021, Flix has seen significant growth, expanding its network from 27 to over 100 cities in Brazil within three years, and connecting 14 destinations in Chile, serving around 70% of the population. Augusto Abarca will lead the team in Peru, working with local SMEs.

✈️ dnata's subsidiary Airport Handling launched operations at Italy's largest airport, Rome Fiumicino, with a seven-year license, serving 22 airline clients and handling approximately 70,000 flights annually with over 2,100 local professionals. The company invested over 20 million euros in infrastructure and equipment, primarily electric, to ensure high environmental efficiency. Rome Fiumicino is now dnata's second-largest gateway, spanning over 90 airports in 16 countries. Clive Sauvé-Hopkins, CEO of dnata Airport Operations, emphasized the expansion as a significant step in dnata's continuous growth journey.

✈ Frequent flyers of Ita Airways, which joined the Lufthansa Group, can now earn and redeem points on Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, and Brussels Airlines. Dieter Vranckx, CCO of Lufthansa, emphasized the importance of customer loyalty. Starting from the summer schedule, Miles & More members flying with Ita Airways between March 1 and April 15 will get an extra 2,000 miles for two continental flights and 4,000 miles for two intercontinental flights.

✈️ Madagascar Airlines began codesharing with Air France on the historic Paris-Antananarivo route starting February 4. The agreement includes flights numbered MD7050 from Antananarivo to Paris and MD7051 for the return, operating 4 to 5 times a week in winter. Passengers now have connections to 10 additional European destinations. This follows a Special Prorate Agreement signed in October 2024, enhancing the partnership between the two airlines. CEO Thierry de Bailleul highlights the strategic move for better connectivity and market presence.

📍 Central America boosts air connectivity with Europe: Air France increases flights with two direct connections from Madrid to San José, Costa Rica, and four additional flights with layovers in Mexico and the US, while Air Europa adds direct flights from Madrid to Tocumen International Airport in Panama, a weekly direct flight to Santo Domingo, and two weekly flights to San Pedro Sula, Honduras. British Airways offers a seasonal flight directly connecting London Gatwick with Juan Santamaría International Airport in Costa Rica three times a week from November to March. Iberia maintains daily flights to Guatemala, El Salvador, Panama, and the Dominican Republic, with Avianca providing seasonal flights from June to January between Madrid and San Salvador. 🚀 Investments in airport infrastructure include a $250 million renovation of Belize's Philip Goldson International Airport, a public-private partnership to upgrade Guatemala's La Aurora International Airport, a $320 million funded project by CAF for El Salvador's "El Salvador Vuela" program including the construction of the Pacific Airport and the renovation of Ilopango Airport, Honduras' modernization of Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport, Nicaragua's upcoming $400 million Punta Huete International Airport with a July start date, and Panama's modernization plans for Tocumen Airport, which served 1.6 million passengers in June 2024. Santo Domingo's Las Americas José Francisco Peña Gómez International Airport in the Dominican Republic is set to build a