Luigi Stefanelli, Managing Director of Costa Cruises for Spain and Portugal since 2019, has been appointed Managing Director for France in addition to his current responsibilities, thus leading the second and third most important markets for Costa.
Under Luigi Stefanelli's leadership, the French team will be strongly committed to maintaining France as Costa's second-largest market in Europe, capitalizing on the benefits of growth and further reinforcing the Company's commitment to the market. Stefanelli and his team will work closely with travel agents and strategic partners, upholding the company's high reputation in line with the value of its products and the enhanced experience of Costa's cruise offerings.
Luigi Stefanelli has over 10 years of experience in the cruise industry. A native of Naples, he joined Costa Cruises' Genoa headquarters in the Revenue Management department in 2011. At the end of 2012, he was appointed Business Development Director for Asia Pacific, contributing to the region's growth and securing market leadership for Costa. As a result, in 2015 he was appointed Managing Director for Austria and Switzerland for both Costa Group companies: Costa Cruises and Aida Cruises. This responsibility was later expanded to include the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Hungary, leading to the creation of the position of Managing Director for Central Europe. In 2019, Luigi Stefanelli moved to the Iberian Peninsula as Managing Director of Costa Cruises for Spain and Portugal.
With Luigi Stefanelli at the helm for Spain and Portugal since 2019, Costa Cruises has demonstrated strong leadership in the post-pandemic sales recovery, and he arrives in France with solid international experience and valuable expertise. Over the past two years, Luigi and the Spanish team have cultivated close relationships with key authorities and institutions to implement and strengthen Costa's sustainability agenda. This level of commitment will also be applied in the French market.
Luigi Stefanelli, Managing Director of Costa Cruises for Spain, France, and Portugal, said: “I am embarking on this new chapter with great enthusiasm and excitement. The journey wouldn't be the same without new challenges, and France is a major one. I will divide my time between Madrid and Paris to stay close to both teams and all our stakeholders, and I will continue working to ensure that Costa Cruises maintains its leading position in Europe, now also with a focus on the French market. I am delighted with this new role and look forward to starting work with the teams and meeting our partners at the IFTM trade show in Paris.”.
