{{Short description|Travel brands owner}} {{Infobox company | name = lastminute.com N.V. | logo = Lastminute.com Group Logo.png | type = [[Public company|Public]] | traded_as = {{SWX|LMN}} | founded = {{Start date and age|2006}} | founder = {{ubl|Fabio Cannavale|Marco Corradino}} | location = [[Chiasso]], Switzerland | key_people = {{ubl|Alessandro Petazzi ([[Chief executive officer|CEO]])|Corrado Casto ([[Chief operating officer|COO]])}} | industry = [[Travel]]<br>[[Technology]] | products = [[Travel agency]]<BR>[[Metasearch engine]] | brands = [[Lastminute.com]]<br>Volagratis<br>Rumbo<br>[[Bravofly (website)|Bravofly]]<br>[[Jetcost]]<br>Hotelscan<BR>Crocierissime.it<BR>weg.de | num_employees = Over 1,400 | website = {{URL|www.lastminutegroup.com}} }} '''Lastminute.com N.V.''' is the owner of several travel brands including [[lastminute.com]], [[:it:Volagratis|Volagratis]], Rumbo, [[Bravofly (website)|Bravofly]], [[Jetcost]], Crocierissime.it, weg.de, and Hotelscan.
The company operates websites and mobile apps in 17 languages and 40 countries and has 43 million monthly unique users.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}
It was called Bravofly Rumbo Group until May 2015.<ref name="name_change" />
==History== Lastminute.com Group was founded in 2006 but traces its roots back to 2004, when Fabio Cannavale<ref>{{cite web | title=Fabio Cannavale | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/16747535 | publisher=[[Bloomberg L.P.]]}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
In November 2012, it acquired Rumbo, a Spanish online [[travel agency]].<ref>{{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}}</ref>
In December 2013, it acquired [[Jetcost]], a [[France|French]] travel [[metasearch engine]].<ref>{{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}}</ref>
On 15 April 2014, the company was listed on the [[SIX Swiss Exchange]] in [[Zurich]].<ref>{{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]]}}</ref>
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.<ref name="name_change">{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref>
In 2016, the company launched Travel People, an advertising platform.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
In September 2016, the company acquired WAYN, a social travel network, for £1 million.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref>
In November 2017, it acquired Hotelscan.com, a hotel [[metasearch engine]].<ref>{{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}}</ref>
In December 2017, the company acquired German Comvel GmbH, founded 2004 in Munich, which operates weg.de.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
In April 2019, the company created Forward, a media company.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
==Main Brands== * [[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.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rumbo.es/es/info/about-us.html | title=Quiénes somos | trans-title=About us | publisher=Rumbo | language=es}}</ref> * [[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 (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.
==References== {{Reflist|1}}
==External links== {{Portal|Companies}} * {{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]]