Fusioni & Acquisizioni

🏖️ Going's summer 2025 program includes 4 luxury resort structures in Egypt and Greece, accessible via direct flights from six Italian airports. Resorts featured are Cleopatra Sidi Heneish in Marsa Matrouh and Sunrise Diamond Beach Resort in Sharm el Sheikh, along with Costa Lindia Beach on Rhodes and Minos Imperial in Crete. Flights depart from Milan, Bergamo, Rome, Naples, Verona, and Bologna on Saturdays, Sundays, and Tuesdays. Sharm el Sheikh flights from Milan run from late April to late October, from Bologna late June to mid-October, from Rome mid-April to late November, and from Naples on Sundays from June 1 to September 28. Marsa Matrouh flights operate on Tuesdays from late May to late September. Rhodes has direct flights from Milan on Saturdays from June 7 to late September, from Rome from mid-June to mid-September, and from Naples from late June to late August. Crete is served by direct flights from Milan and Rome on Saturdays from mid-June to mid-September.

💰 Gianluigi Aponte, the patron of MSC, is reportedly interested in acquiring Alpitour, with analysts identifying Neos (controlled by Alpi) as a primary target. Giovanni Tamburi, who recently gained almost complete control over the Turin group's shareholders, could facilitate quick negotiations. Tamburi is considering exiting after investing in Alpitour and MSC is capable of meeting the financial demands. The potential sale marks a pivotal moment in Alpitour's history, ideally occurring with solid finances and positive projections for 2025.

🏛 Ekn Development, a Californian group, allocated €64 million for the restoration of the Grand Hotel San Pellegrino in Bergamo, Italy. Originally opened in 1904 and closed in 1979, the hotel was purchased in 2000 by the Province and later transferred to the Municipality. It's set to reopen in 2029 under a 99-year concession agreement with San Pellegrino Terme. The hotel will feature a spa, luxury shops, a restaurant, a bar under the dome with a library and terrace, 118 rooms, an infinity pool, a hot tub, bocce courts, outdoor seating & gardens. The hotel management will be entrusted to an experienced company.

📅 Jörg Eberhart, CEO of ITA, confirms the Alitalia brand holds high value and potential and will be relaunched without changing its livery. The focus is on ensuring company stability before reactivation. Alitalia's appeal remains strong, and ITA's new shareholder plans to leverage this as part of its strategic alliance with Lufthansa. The revival of Alitalia is tied to ITA achieving breakeven, which is expected within the year, with medium to long-term projections for brand reactivation.

🏖️ Hyatt, a hotel giant, may acquire Playa Hotels & Resorts, currently operating 24 resorts in Mexico, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic. The potential acquisition emerged during the exclusive contract extension talks, with the current contract expiring on February 3 and extended only until February 10. Discussions are ongoing without a guaranteed closing.

🏠 Libero Muntoni, General Manager of Delphina hotels & resorts, discusses their definition of luxury, focusing on quality and local territory discovery. Delphina's Hotel Capo d’Orso joined The Leading Hotels of the World, marking a significant development for North Sardinia. The company aims for sustainable luxury combined with genuine local hospitality, a crucial element for their five-star offerings. In 2024, Delphina recorded its best year, surpassing 2019 results, with all hotels, villas, and residences set to be operational in May, and bookings already open.

🏖️ Gianluigi Aponte's MSC Group, which includes brands such as MSC Cruises, Cisalpina, Blu Vacanze, and Going, made a pre-Christmas offer for Andrea Ruben Levi's approx. 36% stake in Alpitour. Last week, Tamburi Investment Partners (TIP) raised their stake in the tour operator to 94.661%. The acquisition cost roughly €200 million, with Alpitour's revenue reported at €2.1 billion, a 7% increase from the previous year. Estimates suggest a 15-20% increase in economic and financial prospects for the current year and beyond, with the group's 27 hotels valued at €900 million. This move intensifies the battle for Alpitour, with MSC potentially aiming for 100% ownership, including the acquisition of Neos.

🏠 Accor signed a franchising agreement for the Handwritten Collection brand's debut in Piedmont, with the Hotel Giacomo Morra Alba – Handwritten Collection opening in March. The renovated hotel features 92 rooms including 4 suites, combining modern comforts with local heritage. It has an internal courtyard, a Green House, a bar with a wide wine selection, 3 modular meeting rooms for up to 80 people, and a Fitness and Gym area. The Handwritten Collection launched in 2023 and opened 20 properties in the past year in cities like Paris, Malta, Sydney, Shanghai, Phuket, and Krakow. Italy's first was the Relais San Martino in Taviano. With about 25 hotels under development and over 150 projects in negotiation, the brand aims to be one of the fastest-growing globally.

🏨 Starwood, after a $13 billion merger with Marriott nine years ago, is set to re-emerge led by Barry Sternlicht, head of SH Hotels & Resorts. Starwood Capital Group confirmed a rebranding to Starwood Hotels in February, managing Baccarat, 1 Hotels, Treehouse, and a fourth brand in development. The new portfolio comprises approximately 40 hotels, with notable projects in Austin, Seattle, Crete, Miami, Manchester, Dubai, Maldives, Rome, and upcoming openings in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

🏡 Barry Sternlicht is set to relaunch the iconic Starwood brand by renaming SH Hotels & Resorts, of which he is the chairman. This move comes nearly nine years after selling Starwood Hotels and Resorts to Marriott for $13 billion. Starwood brand, retrieved by Sternlicht last year, will operate 1 Hotels, Baccarat, and Treehouse brands, with a development plan for around 40 properties worldwide. In Italy, the Baccarat Hotel Rome will be developed from the restoration of the Hotel Majestic, and the Baccarat Hotel Florence will be established near the Fiesole hills at the 14th-century Villa Camerata estate.