Michelangelo

What Michelangelo does

Michelangelo International Travel is a privately held, family-owned Destination Management Company (DMC) and incoming tour operator headquartered in Riva del Garda, Italy, with a separate operating subsidiary (Michelangelo Iberian Travel S.L.) in Barcelona, Spain. The company was founded circa 1989 (English sources cite "over 35 years" of experience; Italian sources cite "over 40 years") under the legal name Agenzia Viaggi Risatti Tours di Michelangelo International Travel Srl a socio unico, and is owned by the Risatti family with Lorenzo Risatti serving as legal representative. The business operates exclusively on a B2B basis, serving tour operators, travel agencies, coach companies, and corporate event planners across more than 28 source markets in Europe and North America, with a stated base of 2,000+ active trade clients.

The company sells packaged and tailor-made group tours across Italy, the Iberian Peninsula, and the broader Mediterranean, organized into 248+ pre-built itineraries spanning cultural, culinary, active, rail, and themed experiences. Sub-brands include Activo (hiking and cycling tours) and ItaliaFoto (photography services). Revenue is generated primarily through one-time per-person tour pricing (€224-€1,129 per person, with 10+ participant minimums) plus hotel booking commissions, with no disclosed software platform, no public API, and no proprietary technology layer. The underlying operations are service-based: human-led supplier coordination, multilingual client support, and on-the-ground logistics rather than technology-mediated delivery.

Distribution is sales-led and event-driven, combining direct B2B account management with active participation in major trade shows (ITB Berlin, TTG, RDA) and membership in a broad set of industry associations (ETOA, USTOA, NTA, FTA, IATA, TourismCares, CATO, RDA, VPR). Marketing channels include a multi-language website with enquiry forms, downloadable brochures, a B2B email newsletter, and a WhatsApp channel. The company has no disclosed funding rounds, no external institutional investors, and stated shareholders' equity of €1,000,000, consistent with a self-funded, multi-generational family business that has grown organically over three decades.

Name

Michelangelo

Legal name

Agenzia Viaggi Risatti Tours di Michelangelo International Travel Srl a socio unico

Website

https://michelangelo.travel

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Michelangelo International Travel is a family-owned Italian Destination Management Company providing B2B group tour services across Italy, the Iberian Peninsula, and the Mediterranean. It sells 248+ pre-packaged itineraries to 2,000+ trade clients via offices in Riva del Garda and Barcelona.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Destination Management Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Tour Operators (56152)

akta.pro primary industry

Luxury Multi-Day Tour Operators (THAKADAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Adventure & Expedition Travel Agencies (THAKAFAB)

Keywords

• Destination management services
• Incoming tour operator
• Group tour packages
• B2B travel services
• Mediterranean group travel

Headquarters

HQ city

Riva Del Garda

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Group Tour Packages (Ground Services): The primary revenue stream consists of packaged group tours across Italy, Iberia, and the Mediterranean. These are sold as all-inclusive or semi-inclusive itineraries (accommodation, meals, excursions, transport coordination, guides) priced per person. Tours range from short city breaks (3–5 days) to extended multi-region tours (up to 15+ days). Revenue is one-time per booking and scales with group size. Pricing varies by season, hotel tier, and itinerary complexity.
2. Hotel Booking & Commission Revenue: Michelangelo acts as an intermediary for hotel accommodations, with a network of partner hotels across all covered destinations. Revenue includes commissions earned on hotel bookings made as part of tour packages.
3. Michelangelo Iberian Travel — Spain & Portugal Operations: A separate operating entity (Michelangelo Iberian Travel S.L., Barcelona) handles Spain and Portugal group tours under its own commercial terms, booking conditions, and payment policies. Operates as a wholesale tour operator providing services to foreign travel agencies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Michelangelo International Travel is a B2B destination management company (DMC) and incoming tour operator that designs, sells, and operates group tour packages across Italy, the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal), and the broader Mediterranean. The company acts as an intermediary between international tour operators, travel agencies, and coach companies and the local supply chain (hotels, guides, transport, venues), providing logistics coordination, accommodation, excursions, and custom itinerary design on a wholesale basis.

Product overview

Michelangelo International Travel is a professional Destination Management Company (DMC) and incoming tour operator offering tailor-made group tours and B2B travel solutions across Italy, Iberia, and the Mediterranean. The company operates multiple product lines: Group Tours to Italy (covering all major regions), Group Tours to the Iberian Peninsula through its Michelangelo Iberian Travel subsidiary, Mediterranean Tours, and themed collections. The Activo sub-brand handles active travel (hiking and cycling), while themed tours include Culture, City Breaks, Borghi (villages), Nature, Events, Music, Train, Winter Warming, Yoga, and Gusto (culinary) experiences. With over 35 years of experience and offices in Riva del Garda and Barcelona, the company serves tour operators, travel agencies, coach companies, and corporate planners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Activo: Active tours brand offering hiking and cycling tours across Italy and the Mediterranean.
• ItaliaFoto

Products and services

• Group Tours to Italy Escorted and customized group tours covering all major Italian regions including Rome, Tuscany, Sicily, Sardinia, the Lake District, the Dolomites, and Puglia. Includes cultural, culinary, active, and themed itineraries, sold exclusively B2B to tour operators, travel agencies, and coach companies.
• Group Tours to the Iberian Peninsula (Spain & Portugal) Group travel services covering Spain and Portugal including Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, Porto, Andalusia, Algarve, and the Balearic Islands. Operated by the subsidiary Michelangelo Iberian Travel S.L. from Barcelona and sold B2B.
• Mediterranean Tours Island experiences and coastal tours covering Sardinia, Mallorca, Ibiza, Malta, and other Mediterranean destinations, sold to trade partners.
• Activo (Hiking & Cycling Tours) Active travel experiences including bike tours and hiking tours across Italy and Mediterranean destinations, operated under the Activo sub-brand.
• Themed Tour Collections Organized tour collections by theme including Culture, City Breaks, Borghi (Italian villages), Nature, Events, Music, Train, Winter Warming, Yoga, and Gusto (culinary/food & wine).
• Tasty Tuscany (Gusto Tour) Culinary and cultural adventure in Tuscany featuring cooking classes, truffle hunting, wine tastings, and visits to Lucca, Florence, Pisa, and Siena. 6-day tour with 4-star hotel in Montecatini Terme; priced €484–€689 per person.
• Treasures of Italy's Heart (Tuscany & Umbria) Combined 5-night tour of Tuscany and Umbria covering Cortona, Arezzo, Siena, San Gimignano, Assisi, Perugia, Pienza, and Montepulciano, with multiple hotel options. Priced €324–€769 per person.
• Picking Catalonia's Olives (Olive Harvest Tour) Five-day experience tour in Catalonia featuring hands-on olive harvest, Barcelona city tour, Tarragona with Roman Amphitheatre, and vermouth tasting. 3 or 4-star hotel; priced €249–€459 per person.
• Culinary Tour of Umbria (Italy's Green Soul) Gastronomic tour featuring truffle hunting, olive oil and wine tasting, Perugina chocolate, and visits to Foligno, Assisi, Perugia, Orvieto, and Civita di Bagnoregio.
• Spain - Costa Brava, Barcelona, Mallorca & Valencia Grand Tour 9-day multi-destination tour combining Costa Brava, Barcelona, ferry to Mallorca, and Valencia with Drach Caves visits and Agua de Valencia tasting. Priced €654–€1,129 per person; minimum 10 participants.
• Tuscany & Beyond Hiking Tour Active hiking tour through Tuscany covering Pienza, Montepulciano, Siena, Montalcino, Sant'Antimo Abbey, Civita, and Lake Bolsena.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered supporting.

• Brandnamic GmbHsupportingTechnology or IntegrationBrandnamic GmbH (Bressanone, Italy) is the company that designed, built, and maintains the michelangelo.travel website. The company provides marketing, software, and consulting services for the hospitality sector. Brandnamic provides the CMS platform, website hosting, and digital marketing infrastructure supporting Michelangelo's online presence and B2B booking enquiry system. This is a technology/vendor partnership for website development and digital marketing technology.
• ETOA (European Tour Operators Association)supportingOthersMichelangelo International Travel is a member of ETOA, a trade association representing European tour operators and travel industry stakeholders. Membership provides networking, advocacy, and industry intelligence benefits.
• USTOA (United States Tour Operators Association)supportingOthersMichelangelo is listed as a USTOA member, indicating participation in the North American travel trade market and adherence to USTOA's standards and consumer protection guidelines.
• NTA Travel (National Tour Association)supportingOthersMichelangelo is a member of NTA Travel, a North American-based travel industry association connecting tour operators globally.
• FTA (Federation of Tour Operators)supportingOthersMichelangelo holds membership in the Federation of Tour Operators, a UK-based association representing tour operators and travel companies.
• IATA (International Air Transport Association)supportingOthersMichelangelo is listed as an IATA member, indicating affiliation with the global air transport industry and access to airline booking systems and industry standards.
• TourismCaressupportingOthersMichelangelo is a member of TourismCares, a non-profit organization supporting travel industry community and sustainability initiatives.
• CATO (Cultural Academy for Tourism & Hospitality)supportingOthersMichelangelo is a member of CATO, a tourism and hospitality industry association.
• RDA (Reiseanalyse / RDA International Coach Tourism)supportingOthersMichelangelo participates in RDA events, a major coach tourism trade fair in Germany (RDA Cologne), serving as a key networking platform for European group travel operators.
• VPR (Verbandes der Deutschen Reiseindustrie / German Travel Association)supportingOthersMichelangelo holds membership in the VPR (German Travel Association), indicating market presence and engagement with the German travel trade sector.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• TourRadar: Online marketplace aggregating multi-day tour operators globally, including many European DMCs. Relevant as a distribution and competitive threat rather than a direct DMC; comparable on Mediterranean tour content but operates as a platform/enabler.

Emerging players

• Diethelm Travel Group: Asia-headquartered DMC with expanding European footprint offering tailor-made group tours. Comparable as a B2B DMC building cross-destination product, though with deeper Southeast Asia roots than Mediterranean focus.
• Exodus Travels: Active and walking tour operator with significant Mediterranean/Europe product. Partial overlap with Michelangelo's Activo (hiking/cycling) sub-brand and themed tours; broader portfolio across continents.

Broad incumbents

• Go Ahead Tours: Large escorted-tour operator with deep Italy and Mediterranean itineraries sold through trade and direct channels. Comparable as a multi-day group tour operator in the same destinations but at meaningfully larger scale and with broader portfolio.
• CIE Tours International: Escorted-tour operator with strong European footprint including Italy, Spain, and Portugal, distributed via travel agents in North America. Comparable on multi-day group tour product and B2B trade channels, though larger and more brand-driven.
• Globus family of brands (Cosmos / Globus): Major escorted-tour operator with extensive Italy and Mediterranean itineraries distributed via travel agents. Overlaps with Michelangelo on multi-day group tours to Italy/Iberia, though operates at significantly larger scale and via B2B2C trade model.

Direct peers

• Travelive: DMC offering tailor-made luxury and experiential travel across Italy, Greece, and other Mediterranean destinations. Closely comparable product (custom group tours), geography (Italy + Mediterranean), and B2B trade distribution model.
• IC Bellagio: Italy-based DMC and tour operator specializing in high-end bespoke and small-group travel across Italy. Directly comparable as a B2B destination management peer serving travel agents and tour operators with curated Italian itineraries.
• Truly Italy: US-Italy DMC operating curated tours across all Italian regions with a B2B2C distribution model via travel advisors. Comparable as an Italy-focused DMC serving trade partners with cultural, culinary, and regional itineraries.
• SITA World Tours: Tour operator specializing in escorted and independent itineraries across Europe and India, with strong Italy and Mediterranean product. Directly comparable on multi-day group tour content and B2B trade distribution.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Michelangelo