Fusioni & Acquisizioni

🏖 Prince Karim Al-Hussaini, Aga Khan IV, linked with the luxury tourism destination Costa Smeralda, died in Lisbon at 88. In 1962, he bought 1,800 hectares in Sardinia, founded Alisarda, now Meridiana, which later failed. He built Olbia airport and Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in 1969, and took over Ciga Hotels Spa in 1985, which struggled and was sold to Sheraton in 1995. Awarded by Italian Presidents and Queen Elizabeth II, he was honored in 1977, 1988, and received a title in 1957.

📍 Cathay Pacific is investing over 100 billion Hong Kong dollars (over 1 trillion euros) by 2032 to revitalize its passenger experience, with premium materials and technology. The new Aria Suite for the B777 is part of the upgrades. Flights to Milan will occur daily, and Rome's seasonal flight is reopening. The focus on the European market relates to high load factors and margins, with key hubs in London, Paris, and Munich. The Italian market is promising due to Asia's interest in Rome, especially during the Jubilee, and Milan's trade and fashion connections. There are hopes to make Rome's seasonal flight a regular service.

🛫 Intrepid Travel expands in Europe by acquiring Dutch operator Sawadee Reizen from Travelopia for €60 million, aiming to boost experiential tourism. This deal ranks the Netherlands among Intrepid's top five markets, alongside Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. CEO James Thornton emphasizes the merger's alignment with Intrepid's mission to become the world's largest vertically integrated experiential travel company.

🏛 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.