Fusion & Acquisition

🚾 Tork, a leader in professional hygiene, targets inclusive hygiene in public restrooms, focusing on improvements for accessibility. The study by Tork reveals that 44% of respondents feel anxious about using public toilets. Key findings include: 73% feel discomfort if unable to wash hands properly, 73% say an unpleasant restroom experience in a restaurant deters return visits, 38% limit food and drink intake to avoid restrooms, and 17% of employees avoid using workplace toilets.

🏥 Hospitals can learn from the hospitality industry to improve patient experience by enhancing material environment, service quality, and technology use. Suggestions include using calming colors, natural light, and signature scents in non-medical areas; creating quiet spaces; providing higher quality meals; concierge services; wellness offerings like spas; and utilizing technology for personalized care and real-time feedback. Partnerships between sectors can facilitate knowledge transfer for integrated service excellence in healthcare.

⏳ Accor's report "The New Quality Of Time" examines how society's perception and management of time are changing, impacting the hospitality industry. It's part of the award-winning series "From Change To Opportunity". The report identifies a major shift in attitudes towards time and its influence on the sector, highlighting business opportunities to capitalize on the increased interest in time. It suggests a need to slow down and disconnect due to life's acceleration in work, home, leisure, and travel.

🍴 RHF media has been leading in Restauration Hors Foyer (RHF) market share and audience for nearly 40 years. Under Anne Luzin's leadership, the group manages 6 key media brands. Since 1987, they've organized "Les Trophées Le Chef," an annual event for French star-rated chefs, also honoring pastry chefs, sommeliers, and service professionals, totaling 38 years of celebrating gastronomy excellence.

💵 French Tech startups stabilized with €4.26 billion raised in the first half of 2024, matching the previous year’s figure for the same period, but falling short of the €8.39 billion high in 2022's first half. France remains Europe's second most attractive market for venture capital. Investment trends show a 54% increase in funding rounds over €100 million, reaching €1.5 billion, while mid-sized rounds fell by over 20%. Smaller rounds under €10 million grew by 3% in amount and 15% in number. The French Tech sector created over 1.3 million jobs in 2024, a 200,000 job increase from 2023, and startup revenues rose by 27%. Despite economic uncertainty, 80% of startups aim for profitability within three years.

🎬 In the 8th episode of "Tomate," tech and travel professionals discuss "La Belle Epoque" by Nicolas Bedos and "San Junipero" (S03 Ep04) from "Black Mirror." Ange Pozzo Di Borgo, responsible for Hauts-de-France Innovation Tourism, joins the conversation, focusing on time and space travel and the role of emotion and theatricality in creating memorable travel experiences. "La Belle Epoque" features a disillusioned man in his sixties offered a time-travel experience by a theatrical historical reenactment company, while "San Junipero" explores a deep connection between two women transcending space and time.

🏨 Zucchetti Group, an Italian company, acquired the French hotel technology brand Reservit. Zucchetti had previously acquired Vertical Booking in 2017, Lybra Tech in 2020, Pay My Table in 2021, and Vega (Quatuhore group) in 2023. Reservit is recognized as the number one reservation software in France, equipping numerous voluntary French hotel chains. However, it has seen some of these chains depart over recent years.

📍 TNMT highlights a decade of venture capital investments in travel and mobility tech. Pre-2020 saw rapid market growth, with sector leaders like rideshare and electric bikes/scooters dominating. However, post-2020 pandemic, venture capital confidence waned, questioning the unsustainable hypergrowth model. TNMT's infographic focuses on top-funded companies in aerial mobility, online travel, hospitality, and ground transportation, reflecting the investment decline over the past three years.

📈 Barrière Group, under the leadership of Alexandre Barrière and Joy Desseigne-Barrière with CEO Grégory Rabuel, continues its rejuvenation with a significant renovation program and a partial management overhaul. The group acquired restaurant chain Loulou with 4 establishments in Paris, Ramatuelle, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, and Val d’Isère, stepping into "eatentertainment." A November 2023 partnership with Beefbar at Hôtel Barrière Le Carl Gustaf Saint-Barth was previously announced. Soon, Loulou will open at Barrière Les Neiges in Courchevel. The transaction amount remains undisclosed.

🏖️ Playa Hotels & Resorts N.V., a luxury resort operator, agrees to sell Jewel Palm Beach for $68 million, opened two years ago. The buyer's identity remains undisclosed. Playa Hotels manages 25 properties totaling 9,127 rooms across Mexico, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic. The deal is expected to close in Q3 2024, subject to customary closing conditions.