Fusioni & Acquisizioni

🚃 Trenitalia resumes Milan-Paris service on April 1, aiming to expand high-speed rail in France. On June 15, the Paris-Marseille line will debut, enhancing Italy connections. With 40% growth since August 2023 on Paris-Lyon, Trenitalia France plans to double its 2024 figure of one million passengers in 2025. Future expansions include Milan-Monaco (2026), Milan-Berlin (2027-28), and Ljubljana. Trenitalia invests €1.3 billion for 46 new Etr 1000 trains starting February, focusing on integrated services and travel agency collaboration.

📍 Air Tahiti Nui and Air Rarotonga have initiated a partnership to enhance connections between France, the United States, and the Cook Islands via French Polynesia. The strategic collaboration improves flexibility, optimizes itineraries, and simplifies connections between the Pacific islands. Now, passengers can travel on a single ticket, easing the travel experience through hubs in Faa’a à Papeete (PPT) and Rarotonga International Airport (RAR). The cooperation offers 4 return flights weekly, coordinated by Air Rarotonga (GZ) and Air Tahiti (VT), in conjunction with Air Tahiti Nui flights to and from Papeete.

🏨 Ixpira expanded its hotel portfolio in Italy, focusing on Rome, which accounted for 33% of revenue from individual bookings in 2024, and Tuscany, a key tourist region. During the ongoing Jubilee, Ixpira aims to maximize opportunities by destagionalizing tourist flows. Daniela Fabiano, head of contracting, emphasizes demand evaluation and customer segmentation strategies. New Rome partnerships include the 4-star Hotel Palladium and 3-star Casa Santa Sofia. In Tuscany, ROSS Hotels' Palazzo Leopoldo and Capitano Collection joined the portfolio, along with an expanded partnership with Parc Hotels. CEO Guy Luongo highlights a data-driven approach for significant partner results.

✈ Sandro Pappalardo, newly appointed president of Ita Airways, is reviewing the company's industrial plan, aiming for break-even currently and assessing fleet and staff changes starting from 2026. Ita Airways' revenue has grown 27% to €2.7 billion, with an 81% overall load factor and a 20% increase in passengers to over 18 million. The Italian government holds 59%. Pappalardo emphasizes collaboration with Lufthansa and long-haul routes, which account for 50% of revenue with an 84% occupancy rate. Changes to the industrial plan will be announced before summer.

🛫 Alitalia's logo, acquired by Ita for €80 million, is set to re-emerge on the global stage, as confirmed by both the Italian Government and partner Lufthansa. Ita's President Sandro Pappalardo, despite unclear plans for the old brand, along with new CEO Joerg Eberhart, aims to enhance the airline's value. Ita will transition from Skyteam to Star Alliance, concluding its affiliation with Skyteam by the end of May. The move is expected to aid in reaching break-even by leveraging the new alliance's potential for growth in long-haul routes.

🏖️ Kel 12, a tour operating brand, acquires Il Tucano Viaggi Ricerca, a Turin-based operator specializing in cultural travel. Aimed at strengthening Kel 12's position in cultural tourism, Il Tucano maintains its Turin office and team. CEO Gianluca Rubino emphasizes strategic value and commitment to quality offerings with unique itineraries. Il Tucano was founded in 1968 by Willy Fassio, starting with expeditions in the Amazon along the Orinoco River.

🌎 Europa World launches its first monographic catalog showcasing the "new Tunisia" as a safe and culturally rich destination. From January 1, 2025, all travelers to Tunisia must have a passport valid for at least three months. The catalog covers the March 2025/2026 season, offering trips for groups of 2 to 25 people and individual travels. It includes various tours like "Tunisia oases and Roman cities" (8 days) and "Mini tour of the Sahara Desert and surroundings" (6 days). Tunisair and Ita Airways help limit market price increases, currently around 10%. Noteworthy is Marco Peci, Quality Group's Commercial and Marketing Director, highlighting the desert's ancient culture covering 40% of Tunisia and the reopening of the Bardo Museum in Tunis. The new itineraries from Europa World also include multidimensional experiences, with extended departure calendars and travel times under three hours. Two fam trips and thematic events are planned to increase Tunisia's tourism numbers within three years.

💰 Unipol Group is considering selling its hospitality branch, UNA Hotels, for an estimated value of around €1 billion. Advised by Goldman Sachs, the potential sale will involve selected invitations to bidders, with interest expected from both domestic investors and international entities. Blackstone, Starwood Capital, and Sixth Street are among the named potential offerents, with expressions of interest anticipated shortly.

🍵 Kimbo serves as the official coffee for Casa Kabras – Caffè SKaramantico in Sanremo from February 11-15, 2025. Content creator Daniele Cabras, with over 6.5 million followers, hosts a unique format co-written with Carlo Avarello and Manuel Amicucci. Casa Kabras is a radio-style lounge open daily from 9:30 to 20:30, where Sanremo artists discuss their festival songs. Michele Iodice handcrafts the CornoChicco di Caffè sculpture for guests. The Bar Festival offers musical activities and games, with a special QR Code for consumers to engage online. Kimbo continues a partnership with artist Serena Brancale, who competes at the Italian Song Festival with “Anema e Core” and plans to announce news with Kimbo. Mario Rubino, president of Kimbo S.p.A., emphasizes the cultural value of coffee and its connection to music, with the company's support for young Italian talent and music-related initiatives.

🏨 Minor Hotels plans to open nearly 300 new hotels in the next three years, reaching a total of 850 properties. Already boasting over 560 properties and 81,000 rooms globally, their expansion includes 47,000 new rooms. Focused on market diversification, with more than 50% in Europe, the group will add over 100 properties in Asia, 60+ in the Middle East and Africa, and 40 in Australia and New Zealand. Strategic markets include North America and Northern Asia with key emerging markets like Morocco, Egypt, and Turkey. The luxury and upscale segments drive growth, with one-third of new openings in luxury brands like Anantara, Tivoli, and Elewana Collection. By 2025, Minor Hotels will launch two new brands and emphasize branded residences in over a dozen countries. Their expansion plan comprises 38% conversions and advanced projects, while the rest are new developments. The group's "asset-right" model aims to balance ownership with leasing, management, and franchising, targeting a 50% balance by 2027, with over 90% of new development projects under management contracts or franchising.