Fusion & Acquisition

🏖️ Migros, a Swiss retail and insurance giant, has sold its tourism subsidiaries Hotelplan and InterHome. Hotelplan was acquired by Dertour Suisse, a subsidiary of German Dertcour, for an undisclosed amount. HomeToGo purchased European competitor InterHome for 150 million Swiss francs (€160 million), with a potential additional payment of €90 million by 2029. HomeToGo, founded in 2014, boasts 15 million listings in 200 countries and has previously acquired Tripping.com in 2018, Amivac in January 2022, eDomizil in March, and 51% of KMW Reisen and Super Urlaub in December 2023.

🏨 Between October and December 2024, Preferred Hotels & Resorts added ten new properties worldwide including Europe. The European additions include Kitzhof – Mountain Design Resort in Austria with 160 rooms, César Lanzarote in Spain with 20 rooms, Appenzeller Huus – Huus Loewen in Switzerland with 120 rooms, and Das Achental in Germany with 130 rooms. Further international openings are Aurika Mumbai International Airport (India) with 325 rooms, Aurika Udaipur (India) with 139 rooms, Hotel Las Islas (Colombia) with 55 rooms, L'Ermitage Beverly Hills (California, USA) with 114 rooms, Gamboa Rainforest Reserve (Panama) with 166 rooms, and Hotel Magnolia (Chile) with 40 rooms. This expansion is part of a record growth year since 2019 for the luxury independent hotel portfolio.

📝 Since January 7, professionals have noticed a significant loss of reviews on their Google Business profiles, ranging from a few to several hundred. The decrease in reviews sparked discussion on social media and Google forums. This issue turned out to be a display bug from Google, not an actual deletion of reviews, as verified by Guest Suite. Google Business Profile administration confirmed no reviews vanished. Google is expected to fix this bug soon, highlighting the importance of customer reviews for local SEO.

🌲 The Department of Maine-et-Loire and the City of Angers have handed over the management of Terra Botanica to Groupe Looping, a leader in European regional amusement parks. Since its opening in 2010, Terra Botanica has focused on plants and biodiversity and was previously managed by the two communities under a public interest group. In a strategic move, a 40-year administrative emphyteutic lease was granted to Groupe Looping, committing to a €59 million investment plan over the next decade, including themed accommodations with lodges and a hotel, and the development and modernization of facilities and attractions. The legal firm Cornet Vincent Ségurel, led by associate lawyer Frédéric Marchand, advised the public interest group Terra Botanica, the Department of Maine-et-Loire, and the City of Angers throughout the transaction.

🏦 Elior Group, an international leader in catering and multiservices, introduced a new logo featuring a bison as a symbol of power, endurance, and community. This rebranding aims to enhance the visibility and coherence among its brands—Elior Group, Derichebourg Multiservices, and Elior in France and internationally. The unified identity reflects a strategy to serve clients with complementary, custom services and showcases potential synergies. The logo also represents career growth opportunities for employees.

📈 Smartify, described as the "Shazam for artwork," secured £1.5 million in funding, over €1.8 million, in a round led by Metavallon VC with Pembroke VCT and Mountside Ventures advising. This investment raises the startup's total capital to €4.2 million since its 2015 inception. The digital platform aims to enhance museum visitor engagement, with a 68% year-over-year increase in app usage over the past 12 months, serving over two million active users and partnering with 700 cultural institutions, including the National Gallery and the Acropolis Museum.

💰 Andera Partners joined the capital of Groupe CDS, with founder Ziad Minkara regaining majority ownership. Established in 2001, CDS, a leading French independent and second European company, offers digital solutions for business travel management to corporate clients and travel agencies, optimizing both direct and indirect purchasing. With around 450 employees across 5 European countries, the group shows strong growth through organic means and successful international acquisitions.

💸 Paris, February 3, 2025 - Groupe CDS, a leading European business travel solutions provider, welcomes Andera Partners as a new investor. Ziad Minkara regains majority control of the company, having been backed by IDI since 2020. Founded in 2001, CDS offers a digital platform managing corporate hotel booking chains, generating savings on direct and indirect purchases. With around 450 employees across 5 European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Croatia) and operating 4 brands (CDS, CRC, Goelett, SIAP), the group boasts an annual hotel booking volume of €800 million. The sponsorless transaction facilitates capital reorganization, allowing Minkara and IDI to drive growth and international expansion.

💸 Naboo, a corporate event booking platform, raised €20 million in a Series A round led by Notion Capital, with participation from ISAI and Ternel. Aiming to exceed €100 million in organized events by 2025, up from €60 million the previous year, Naboo plans to expand its European presence, particularly in Germany, Spain, UK, Benelux, and Italy. Investments in AI and data since 2024 have reduced customer service research and administrative time by over 70%.

📝 The article, authored by Silvia Gualano, was last updated on January 27, 2025. It discusses the hidden architecture of online reputation, focusing on key phrases used in Airbnb reviews. The content is presented on RoomCloud's website, featuring the RoomCloud logo with a resolution of 4625x2778 pixels. The article invites readers to share the story on various platforms, emphasizing the importance of reputation in the online hospitality industry.