World2Meet Accelerates Growth Under Iberostar Group Leadership
World2Meet, the Iberostar Group’s dynamic tour operator arm, is riding the wave of a booming travel market to push performance toward new highs. The division, which combines tour operators, travel agencies, its own hotel portfolio, and the World2Fly airline, reported a 52 percent jump in sales last year to 2 billion 175 million euros. At a Madrid Tourism Fair press briefing, Group CEO Gabriel Subías highlighted the strong momentum, noting that half of the revenue stems from direct hotel room marketing and the substantial contribution of the bed bank business. This direct approach is being emphasized as a core driver of profitability and scale for the group.
The outlook for this year is framed as a turning point. The company aims to lift turnover to 2 billion 738 million euros in 2024 while maintaining fast growth momentum. After a post pandemic rebound, World2Meet anticipates continuing acceleration, projecting another 25 percent rise that would bring total turnover close to a double in two years. This plan builds on a resilient rebound from pandemic-related disruptions when the group reported 182 million euros in turnover in 2020 and 439 million euros in 2021, underscoring a strong recovery trajectory.
World2Meet operates under the Iberostar Group umbrella and includes several brands such as Newblue, Icarion, and Kannak within its tour operator portfolio, along with Azumarino and Grand Azulmarino among its travel agencies. The network also encompasses The Sphere and Ubico as part of its agency ecosystem, plus the World2Fly airline and a growing hotel division. The strategy targets expansion in the coming years by leveraging cross-brand opportunities and enhancing direct management to strengthen the bed bank and overall revenue base.
In a bold expansion move, last year World2Meet signed a management agreement for nine properties within the Bluebay chain, expanding its managed portfolio to thirteen properties across the Balearic and Canary Islands, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. Subías pointed to ongoing activity in seeking new hotels to add to the portfolio, noting that many independent hotels present compelling opportunities. He added that direct hotel management is a significant financial advantage for the group, reinforcing its bed bank and overall market position. [Citation: Iberostar Group]