Divers

💰 VOLZ, an Algerian startup founded in 2022 by Mohamed Abdelhadi Mezi and Hacene Seghier, raised 600 million dinars (around 4 million euros) in a Series A funding round led by Tell Group. This marks the largest local currency fundraising for an Algerian startup and the first successful exit for the Algerian Startup Fund, which launched in 2020. VOLZ aims to expand across North and West Africa, boasting over 1000% growth within a year.

🧸 Paris, 22 décembre 2025 - Les peluches, autrefois réservées aux jouets, se redéploient dans divers secteurs tels que la grande distribution, les banques, et l’hôtellerie pour créer un lien émotionnel avec les familles. WelcomeFamily, leader français dans ce domaine depuis 2011, a vu son chiffre d’affaires croître de 5 millions d’euros en 2021 à 14 millions en 2024. Actif à l'international, WelcomeFamily compte 10 000 clients mondiaux.

💸 Steve Case, fondateur d’AOL, a élargi le portefeuille d’Exclusive Resorts Investments en juin dernier en prenant une participation minoritaire dans Onefinestay, ajoutant 3 000 propriétés au réseau. Le rachat d’Inspirato double l’offre, accessible aux 25 000 abonnés via The Exclusive Collective. Le site génère 500 millions de dollars en transactions et une marge brute de 70 millions. L’expansion pourrait mener à la vente complète de Onefinestay si Accor se recentre.

💰 Corvex Management, a New York hedge fund, acquired a 6% stake in UK-based Whitbread, urging strategic overhaul due to increased costs from wage and material hikes mainly in the UK and Ireland. Whitbread, owner of Premier Inn with around 900 establishments, proposed a €4 billion investment plan challenged by Corvex. The fund seeks board entry to influence decisions. Whitbread aims to restore margins and returns, focusing on the UK and Germany.

🍷 Bordeaux's white wines are trending in cocktail culture for their elegance and aromatic finesse. These wines, known for citrus, honey, and apricot notes, are perfect for low-ABV cocktails, combining tradition and creativity. The 2026 cocktail collection features 6 innovative recipes, showcasing these wines' versatility. This trend represents a natural evolution in taste, highlighting Bordeaux's unique "Sud-Ouest" signature.

🏔 En Savoie, les 60 stations affichent une fréquentation record pour Noël. L'Observatoire Explore Savoie note une hausse du taux d'occupation de +2 points pour la saison, atteignant 56%, signalant une fidélité accrue des visiteurs. Le Nouvel An frôle le plein avec 94% d'occupation. Les vacances de Noël enregistrent un taux de 87%, en hausse par rapport à l'an dernier. Janvier et mars voient des progressions de +3,5 et +6 points respectivement.

🏟 Les recherches pour les villes hôtes de la phase de groupes de 2026 ont explosé de 665% après le tirage au sort du 5 décembre 2025, selon Hotels.com. Boston a vu une hausse de 3 645%. La France jouera contre le Sénégal le 16 juin dans le New Jersey, la Bolivie, l’Irak ou le Suriname le 22 juin à Philadelphie, et la Norvège le 26 juin à Boston. Les supporters français peuvent déjà planifier leur voyage.

💻 Wojo, a coworking space provider, celebrated its 10th anniversary at the Accor Arena. They operate around 40 sites in France, including 10 in Paris, from a few thousand to tens of thousands of square meters. Nearly 80% of their spaces are leased to companies decentralizing their teams. Wojo's coworking spaces are also in 160 Accor hotels globally. They emphasize "Workspitality," blending efficient facilities and services, stabilizing after the pandemic-induced remote work shift.

🏨 Hotels.com observed a 665% surge in searches for 2026 World Cup host cities post the December 5, 2025, draw. Boston saw a 3,645% increase. France plays Senegal on June 16 in New Jersey, then Bolivia, Iraq, or Suriname on June 22 in Philadelphia, and Norway on June 26 in Boston. Popular cities include Boston, New York, and Miami. Hôtel prices are rising; early booking is advised. Use free cancellation for flexibility.

🏖 In November 2025, Paris tourism saw a mixed performance. Key holidays on November 1 and 11 marked a decline in tourists and excursionists by 6.7% and 7.6% from 2024. However, overall, November experienced a 7.8% increase vs. 2023 and a 1.1% rise vs. 2024, driven by national tourism (+10.1% vs. 2023, +7.8% vs. 2024) and visitors from China, Canada, Switzerland, Japan, Spain, and India. Hotel occupancy from December 23-30, 2025, is down 5.4 points compared to 2024.