GTEF

PAOLO BARLETTA

Chief Executive Officer of Arsenale S.p.A

Paolo Barletta is an Italian entrepreneur active in the luxury hospitality sector and the founder of Arsenale Group, established with Nicola Bulgari in 2019. In just a few years, Arsenale has become a global leader in luxury rail cruising and one of Italy’s most influential players in high-end hospitality, developing and managing landmark properties across Rome, Venice, Taormina, Florence, Milan, and Tuscany. Today, it owns one of the country’s largest and most prestigious portfolios of iconic real estate and hospitality assets.  

Arsenale’s international leadership is driven by its Luxury Train Cruising division, where Paolo has revived a once-dormant market, transforming it into one of the fastest-growing segments in experiential travel. Through a strategic partnership with the Italian Railways, Arsenale built a world-leading luxury train platform in under four years, redefining the standards of design, engineering, and onboard service. It is the first fully integrated company capable of designing, manufacturing, and operating luxury trains entirely in-house.  

In 2025, Arsenale launched the La Dolce Vita Orient Express fleet and inaugurated the Orient Express La Minerva Hotel in Rome. Together with the upcoming Palazzo Donà Giovannelli Orient Express in Venice, opening in 2026, these projects have set new benchmarks for immersive travel and contributed to the global revival of the Orient Express brand.  

Internationally, Arsenale has secured long-term agreements with Italy, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Uzbekistan, and the UAE to develop luxury trains including Dream of the Desert, Wonder of Emirates, Samarkand Express, and Guardian of the Nile. With its recent acquisition of Golden Eagle Trains, Arsenale will consolidate a 42% global market share in luxury rail cruising.  

Paolo Barletta is also the founder of Alchimia S.p.A., a multi-family office focused on venture capital, and serves as Vice Chair for Rail on the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

PAOLO BARLETTA

Chief Executive Officer of Arsenale S.p.A

Paolo Barletta is an Italian entrepreneur active in the luxury hospitality sector and the founder of Arsenale Group, established with Nicola Bulgari in 2019. In just a few years, Arsenale has become a global leader in luxury rail cruising and one of Italy’s most influential players in high-end hospitality, developing and managing landmark properties across Rome, Venice, Taormina, Florence, Milan, and Tuscany. Today, it owns one of the country’s largest and most prestigious portfolios of iconic real estate and hospitality assets.  

Arsenale’s international leadership is driven by its Luxury Train Cruising division, where Paolo has revived a once-dormant market, transforming it into one of the fastest-growing segments in experiential travel. Through a strategic partnership with the Italian Railways, Arsenale built a world-leading luxury train platform in under four years, redefining the standards of design, engineering, and onboard service. It is the first fully integrated company capable of designing, manufacturing, and operating luxury trains entirely in-house.  

In 2025, Arsenale launched the La Dolce Vita Orient Express fleet and inaugurated the Orient Express La Minerva Hotel in Rome. Together with the upcoming Palazzo Donà Giovannelli Orient Express in Venice, opening in 2026, these projects have set new benchmarks for immersive travel and contributed to the global revival of the Orient Express brand.  

Internationally, Arsenale has secured long-term agreements with Italy, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Uzbekistan, and the UAE to develop luxury trains including Dream of the Desert, Wonder of Emirates, Samarkand Express, and Guardian of the Nile. With its recent acquisition of Golden Eagle Trains, Arsenale will consolidate a 42% global market share in luxury rail cruising.  

Paolo Barletta is also the founder of Alchimia S.p.A., a multi-family office focused on venture capital, and serves as Vice Chair for Rail on the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).