The Uvet Group is an Italian leader in tourism, offering innovative services and solutions for business travel, mobility, tourism, incoming and corporate events. It coordinates a set of companies which generated turnover of 2.9 billion euro in 2018 and has more than 2000 employees.
Born in Milan on 25 August 1961.
Studied Political Science and Economics, started work in the tourism industry at Uvet Viaggi Turismo in 1989. After the death of his father (who founded the travel agency), Luca Patanè took command of the company as Sales Director then, in 1995, as Managing Director and subsequently President.
Under his guidance, Uvet has become one of the leaders in the corporate travel sector. In 1996, he brought together, in a distribution network, the largest independent Italian travel agencies specialising in business travel. Today, the network contains 1,000 travel agencies under the Uvet retail, Uvet Travel System, Open Travel Network and Last Minute Tour brand.
In 2001, Uvet and American Express created the joint venture, Uvet American Express Corporate Travel SpA, with Luca Patanè as President.
In 2011, he promoted the Fondazione Atlante together with Amadeus, with the aim of putting their wealth of experience at the service of social solidarity and culture. He became President in 2013.
He has been the Foundation’s Chairman since 2013. In 2012, he became Chairman of Federviaggio, the Italian Federation of Organised Tourism, part of Confcommercio. Since June 2013, he has been the Chairman at Confturismo – Confcommercio, the entrepreneurial organisation which best represents the Italian tourism industry.
Luca Patanè is also a member of the Standing Committee for the promotion of tourism in Italy, established by Decree of the Minister of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism of 8 August 2014.
In 2016 he was named Cavaliere del Lavoro by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, on the proposal of the Minister of Economic Development Carlo Calenda.
In 2017 it became owner of Settemari, one of the most important Italian tour operators and Blue Panorama Airlines, an Italian airline that offers scheduled and long-haul flights, long and medium-haul flights to over 54 destinations in 4 continents (Africa, America, Asia and Europe).
Uvet is the most important centre for Italian tourism and is also present in France, Switzerland, Romania, Latvia, USA, UK, Ireland, Denmark and in the Scandinavian countries following a recent acquisition of an important Swedish OTA. It employs 2000 people and in 2018 recorded a turnover of 2.9 billion euro. The Group is active in travel and in fleet management, events, Online Travel Agencies, travel agency networks, incoming and hotel management.
