Big news in the small-ship world: Ponant Explorations Group has acquired a majority stake in Aqua Expeditions.
The small-ship expedition and river cruise line—which has a fleet of five ships—offers itineraries in South America, Southeast Asia and beyond. It joins a company that already contains the French-flagged namesake Ponant, as well as Paul Gauguin Cruises, which operates one ship in the South Pacific. The acquisition was backed by Artémis Group, the Pinault family’s investment company—which owns such fashion houses through Kering as Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga, plus auction house Christie's; Pinault Collection, the world’s largest private collection of contemporary art; Artémis Domaines, a collection of exclusive wine estates, including Château Latour; and Creative Artists Agency (CAA), an entertainment and sports agency.
This support will enable Aqua Expeditions to continue expanding its footprint globally and its growth as a destination specialist. Aqua Expeditions currently operates small ships in biodiverse hotspots such as the Galápagos, Raja Ampat, Komodo, Spice Islands, the Mekong River and the Peruvian Amazon River. Francesco Galli Zugaro, CEO and founder of Aqua Expeditions, will remain as a shareholder and, along with his senior management team, will continue to lead the company as a stand-alone business unit, continuing to operate under the brand name Aqua Expeditions.
This transaction comes as Aqua Expeditions ramps up the launch of its East Africa itineraries, exploring the Seychelles and Tanzania, with a focus on the Aldabra group of islands.
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