Lastminute.com Group

Lastminute.com Group was founded in 2006 but traces its roots back to 2004, when Fabio Cannavale{{cite web | title=Fabio Cannavale | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/16747535 | publisher=Bloomberg L.P.}} and Marco Corradino launched Volagratis, a search engine for low cost flights in the Italian market.

In 2006, it was organized as a Group, the headquarters were moved to Chiasso and it began its international expansion by introducing localized websites in Spain, France, Germany and the United Kingdom.{{cite news | title=Bravofly eyes acquisition to build presence in UK dynamic tour operating market | url=https://travolution.com/articles/7576/bravofly-eyes-acquisition-to-build-presence-in-uk-dynamic-tour-operating-market | work=Travolution | date=February 21, 2014}}

In November 2012, it acquired Rumbo, a Spanish online travel agency.{{cite news | title=Telefonica Sells Online Travel Agency Rumbo to Bravofly | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-02/telefonica-sells-online-travel-agency-rumbo-to-bravofly.html| work=Bloomberg News | date=November 2, 2012}}

In December 2013, it acquired Jetcost, a French travel metasearch engine.{{cite news | title=Bravofly acquires Jetcost as OTA-meta lines continue to merge | url=https://www.phocuswire.com/Bravofly-acquires-Jetcost-as-OTA-meta-lines-continue-to-merge | first=Kevin | last=May | work=Phocuswire | date=December 23, 2013}}

On 15 April 2014, the company was listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange in Zurich.{{cite web | title=lastminute.com N.V. | date=June 2023 | url=https://www.six-group.com/exchanges/shares/security_info_en.html?id=NL0010733960CHF4 | publisher=SIX Swiss Exchange}}

In March 2015, the company acquired lastminute.com from Sabre Holdings, owner of online travel agency Travelocity.com, the for £76 million, and in May 2015 it changed its name to lastminute.com group.{{cite press release | title=Bravofly Rumbo Group announces change of name to lastminute.com | url=https://lmgroup.lastminute.com/media/press-releases/press-2015/may-19-2015.aspx | publisher=Lastminute.com Group | date=19 May 2015}}{{cite news | title=Bravofly completes acquisition of Sabre's lastminute.com | url=http://www.travolution.co.uk/articles/2015/03/02/11779/bravofly-completes-purchase-of-groups-new-main-brand-lastminute-com.html | work=Travolution | date=2 March 2015}}

In 2016, the company launched Travel People, an advertising platform.{{cite news | url=https://www.phocuswire.com/lastminutes-Travel-People-builds-up-suite-of-marketing-products | title=lastminute's Travel People builds up suite of marketing products | first=Rob | last=Gill | work=Phocuswire | date=July 12, 2018}}

In September 2016, the company acquired WAYN, a social travel network, for £1 million.{{cite news | url=https://skift.com/2016/10/13/lastminute-bought-wayns-assets-for-just-1-2-million/ | title=Lastminute Bought WAYN's Assets for Just $1.2 Million | first=Patrick | last=Whyte | work=Skift | date=October 13, 2016}}{{cite news | title=WAYN travel social network bought by Lastminute.com Group | url=https://www.phocuswire.com/WAYN-travel-social-network-bought-by-Lastminute-com-Group | first=Kevin | last=May | work=Phocuswire | date=September 20, 2016}}

In November 2017, it acquired Hotelscan.com, a hotel metasearch engine.{{cite news | title=lastminute.com group announces the acquisition of hotelscan to expand its metasearch business | url=https://skift.com/2017/11/08/lastminute-com-group-buys-hotelscan-to-diversify-metasearch-offering/ | first=Patrick | last=Whyte | work=Skift| date=November 8, 2017}}

In December 2017, the company acquired German Comvel GmbH, founded 2004 in Munich, which operates weg.de.{{cite news | url=https://skift.com/2017/12/21/lastminute-com-group-speeds-pivot-with-purchase-of-germanys-weg-de/ | title=Lastminute.com Group Speeds Pivot With Purchase of Germany's Weg.de | first=Patrick | last=Whyte | work=Skift | date=December 21, 2017}}

In April 2019, the company created Forward, a media company.{{cite news | title=Lastminute.com Group now also a media company, offers out marketing services | url=https://www.phocuswire.com/lastminute-Group-launches-Forward | first=Linda | last=Fox | work=Phocuswire | date=April 15, 2019}}

• lastminute.com is an online travel and leisure retailer. The company was founded by Martha Lane Fox and Brent Hoberman to offer late holiday deals online. The company was sold in 2005 to Sabre Holdings, parent of online travel agency Travelocity.com, for £600 million.
• Volagratis.com was launched Italy in 2004. It offers a range of services including hotels, flights, city breaks, holidays, cruises and car rentals.
• Rumbo, launched in Spain in 2000, operates websites in other European countries as well as in South America. Rumbo is a full-service travel website, with its offering comprising hotels, flights, city breaks, package holidays and cruises.{{cite web | url=https://www.rumbo.es/es/info/about-us.html | title=Quiénes somos | trans-title=About us | publisher=Rumbo | language=es}}
• Jetcost is a metasearch engine that focuses on airfares in 38 countries.
• Hotelscan is a metasearch engine for lodging. Its daily updated database of around 1.3 million properties with data from over 100 online booking website.
• Bravofly is a full-service travel website. Founded in 2006, Bravofly websites are available in 17 languages in 40 countries.
• weg.de is a German travel website operated by Comvel GmbH, which was founded 2004 in Munich. weg.de focuses on package holidays and all-inclusive vacations.
• Crocierissime.it is an Italian travel website.

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• {{Official website|www.lastminutegroup.com}}

Category:Companies listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange

Category:Swiss companies established in 2006

Category:Transport companies established in 2006

Category:Online travel agencies

Category:Online retailers of Switzerland

Category:2014 initial public offerings