Fusioni & Acquisizioni

🏦 Ireland's hotel market soared with €655 million in sales during the first half of 2024, nearly quadrupling from €173 million in the first half of 2023. The sale of Dublin’s 265-room Shelbourne Hotel by Kennedy Wilson to Archer Capital was a significant transaction, estimated at almost €260 million. Hard Rock Dublin, after four years, was bought by Leonardo Hotels, rebranded under NYX, leaving no more Hard Rock hotels in the UK or Ireland. Dublin hotel occupancy hit 80% in the first half of the year, with 510 new rooms added and 1,700 under construction. CitizenM and Hoxton are set to open new hotels in Dublin by 2025 and the end of 2024, respectively.

🏢 The Italian Navy's aircraft carrier "Garibaldi", 41 years in service, is being considered for transformation into a "Museo del Mare" and lodging facility in Taranto, managed by MArTa for culture and by private tourism entrepreneurs for hospitality. Taranto is competing with Genoa to host the retired carrier, aiming to enhance the city's tourism and cultural initiatives. Francesco Caizzi of Federalberghi advocates for Taranto, citing its historical significance and potential as a strategic objective for the region's future.

🛫 Michael O’Leary, CEO of Ryanair, criticized Lufthansa's acquisition of Ita, predicting higher fares for passengers, referencing past increases after Lufthansa's purchases of Austrian and Swiss airlines. O'Leary, speaking in Brussels, sees Ryanair benefiting from its lower fares in Italy, anticipating growth due to Ita's price hikes. He also mentioned that instead of Italian taxpayers, now Germans will cover Ita's losses. O'Leary scoffed at the idea that Ita could challenge Ryanair's dominance, stating they would need to cut prices by 70% to compete.

🚢 Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, through its brand Norwegian Cruise Line, announced an order of 8 new ships with Fincantieri, expected to exceed the originally planned 200,000-tonnage. The American corporation revealed the new vessels will be 225,000 gross tons each, accommodating approximately 5,100 guests, with a debut slated between 2023 and 2036. Each ship will be 38% larger than the current fleet's flagship, the Norwegian Encore, which was built by Meyer Werft in 2019 and is scheduled for a refit including additional cabins and suite redesign in November.

🚨 Italy-France connections disrupted: Monte Bianco road tunnel closure from September 2 to December 16 for maintenance. Frejus railway tunnel closed since August 27, 2023, due to a landslide, with restoration completion expected in March 2025. The Monte Bianco tunnel links Courmayeur, Italy, to Chamonix, France. Confindustria Piemonte President Andrea Amalberto highlights the impact on regional competitiveness and budget.

🛫 Islanda, Singapore, and Danimarca topped HelloSafe's 2024 safety ranking with Europe being the safest region. Norway, Finland, and Switzerland also made the top 10. Italy ranked 33rd among European countries. The Philippines, Colombia, Mexico, India, and Russia were listed among the least safe due to conflict, terrorism, and inadequate healthcare. In contrast, Paraguay, Uruguay, Trinidad and Tobago, and Bolivia stood out as safe in Latin America. Singapore, Bhutan, and Mongolia were recognized for safety in Southeast Asia, while Kenya and South Africa showed progress in Africa. UAE and Oman were noted for stability in the Middle East. HelloSafe assesses safety on crime, terrorism, political stability, natural disasters, and healthcare quality. Iceland scored 18.23, Philippines at 82.32, and Italy at 34.74 on a scale of 100.

🏖️ GlobalData reports a 10.4% annual decline in travel and tourism M&A deals, with 415 announced from January to July 2024, down from 463 in the same period of 2023. South America saw a 42% drop, North America 30%, and Asia 16%. Europe counters the trend with a 16.8% increase, led by Germany and the UK. MSC Group's acquisition of 50% of Italo for €4.2 billion is a standout deal. Italy's hotel real estate market remains resilient, with transactions exceeding €1.4 billion.

🛰 The Italian aircraft carrier "Giuseppe Garibaldi," decommissioned after service since 1985, measuring 180 meters in length and 30 meters wide with a displacement of 14,000 tonnes, is the subject of contention between Taranto and Genoa. Taranto aimed to convert it into a floating athletes' village for the Mediterranean Games, but the Navy considered reactivating it as a satellite launch base. Recently, the Centro Studi Bono announced its transformation into a floating museum to be located in Genoa, despite Taranto's hopes to boost tourism.

📚 Circa 5 milioni di studenti italiani parteciperanno ad almeno una gita nel prossimo anno scolastico, con un giro d'affari di oltre 1 miliardo e mezzo di euro, +3%. Didatour rivela che il 49% delle scuole elementari, 77% delle medie e 59% dei licei organizzeranno visite di più giorni. L'89% degli insegnanti sceglierà l'Italia, 11% l'estero, in aumento dall'8% precedente. Città d'arte 25%, soggiorni durano due notti fino a 12 anni e 3-4 giorni per superiori, principalmente tra marzo e maggio. Alloggi in hotel 3 stelle o villaggi turistici e strutture religiose, spesa media 300€, costi trasporto in aumento. Secondarie (62%) più inclini a usare piattaforme specializzate o agenzie di viaggio rispetto alle primarie.

🚂 Ouigo, the railway company, adjusts its strategy in Spain, scaling back operations in the north and focusing on expansion into Andalusia. The Madrid-Segovia-Valladolid line will run only on weekends between September 9 and December 13. A new route from Valladolid to Valencia via Segovia and Madrid launches in December, with sales starting in October and service running daily from December 15 until at least June of the following year.