17th Sep 2007 07:01
Travelzest plc17 September 2007 Date: 17 September 2007 On behalf of: Travelzest plc ("Travelzest" or the "Group") Embargoed until: 0700hrs Travelzest plc Acquisition of JMB Travel Travelzest plc, the British online travel group offering specialist travelprogrammes, is pleased to announce the acquisition of JMB Travel ConsultantsLimited, a leading UK specialist in opera holidays offering an extensive rangeof destinations noted for their operas and music festivals. Travelzest will acquire the entire share capital of JMB Travel for a net cashconsideration of £700,000. JMB Travel's team, led by Jonathan Blizard, has unrivalled experience incatering to the particular needs of the opera and music festival lover. Theyoffer short breaks, longer holidays and escorted tours to over 40 differentcities. Destinations include Verona, Budapest, Madrid, New York, Prague, Romeand Vienna. Jonathan Blizard started JMB Travel in 1986 to meet demand for tickets to keymusic festivals and since then has built the business to become one of the UK'sleading providers of specialist opera holidays. Following acquisition, Jonathanwill continue to lead the business. During the financial year to 31 October 2006 JMB Travel generated adjustedearnings before interest and tax of approximately £170,000 and it is anticipatedthat it will be earnings enhancing in its first full year of ownership. Travelzest is building a portfolio of specialist tour operators that are able toprovide customers with high levels of service and expert advice on a particulardestination, activity or experience. These niche operators offer people a reason to travel, such as an opera festival, an art exhibition, a sporting event or access to an area off the beaten track, thereby making price less relevant intheir decision. Commenting on the acquisition, Chris Mottershead, Travelzest's Chief Executive,said: "JMB Travel has an excellent reputation for providing a high quality service anda wide range of options for opera and music festival fans, which is demonstratedby the high number of repeat customers. We will work with the company tobroaden their customer base, both through building their presence on theinternet and by pursuing new opportunities." Enquiries: Christopher Mottershead 01442 874 322Travelzest plc Emma Kane / Samantha Robbins 020 7822 0200Redleaf Communications Limited Background information on Travelzest plc Travelzest is a British on-line travel group with high quality brands offeringspecialist holiday programmes and services. Chris Mottershead, 48, the Group Chief Executive who founded the Travelzestconcept in April 2005, has extensive experience in the travel industry and inworking for both large and small organisations. He was managing director of TUIUK between 2001 and 2004 with responsibility for Thomson Holidays, Lunn Poly,Travelhouse and other travel businesses based in the UK. During that time, hesteered the company through one of the most difficult periods for travel andstill achieved record profits. Prior to this, he was President and CEO, NorthAmerican Leisure Group, Airtours plc, which he joined in 1993 and where hisroles included managing director and finance director. He joined Airtours fromAspro Travel & Inter European Airways where he was Group Finance Director. The Group currently comprises: itravel2000.com itravel2000.com was founded in 1994 and is an online travel agent specialisingin the sale of travel and travel related products. Sales are made throughvarious internet web sites and a customer call centre located in Mississauga,Ontario. The greater proportion of itravel2000.com's business is winter-based,thus providing counter-seasonal revenue to the predominantly summer-basedrevenues of Travelzest's businesses in Europe. www.itravel2000.com Holiday Express Holiday Express is one of the UK's leading on-line travel businesses. Itspecialises in both on-line travel fulfillment services and online travel sales.Holiday Express' retail business (acting as travel agent), provides packageholidays, charter flights and ski booking services, accounts for the vastmajority of its revenue and the remainder of its revenue is generated throughacting as a tour operator. Holiday Express owns a number of travel websitedomain names, including: - www.holiday.co.uk - www.flight.co.uk Fair's Fare Fair's Fare was established in 1995 and is the UK's leading firm of airfareanalysts, offering a unique travel planning service to both private and businessclients. The company seeks out the very best financial options, on all majorairlines, but primarily for long-haul travellers in the first and business classcabins of the world's leading airlines. VFB Holidays VFB Holidays is a long established, award winning tour operator, which providedholidays for approximately 24,000 passengers in its last financial year. VFB iscurrently contracted with the owners of approximately 350 holiday cottagesthroughout France for the summer season, and has booking arrangements with over150 hotels, most of which are privately owned and are located in rural orsemi-rural locations. VFB specialises in cottage holidays in France, but alsohas a number of other holiday programmes including: France a la Carte (hotelaccommodation), Corsica, Short Breaks, Escorted Tours and River Cruises. www.vfbholidays.com Best of Morocco Best of Morocco is a tour operator specialising in high quality, tailor-madeholidays to Morocco for individuals or small groups. It provides apersonalised service and it's highly experienced and knowledgeable staff helpeach customer select the hotels / resorts from their large range which areappropriate for the customer's desired style of holiday. Best of Morocco is thepremier agent for the Marathon des Sables, a foot race that takes place inMorocco in April each year, covering some 230km. Best of Morocco provides thelargest contingent of runners for the race each year. www.bestofmorocco.co.uk Peng Travel Peng Travel was formed in 1971 to arrange naturist holidays for the UK market.Since then, it has grown to become Britain's biggest naturist tour operator. Ithas unrivalled experience of naturist areas worldwide and has selected only thebest. The range of naturist holidays offered is unmatched by any other Britishtour operator. www.pengtravel.co.uk Faraway Holidays Faraway Holidays was launched by Travelzest in August 2006. It offerstailor-made holidays to many of the world's top exotic destinations in the FarEast, Middle East, Indian Ocean, South Pacific and South America. Everydestination offered by Faraway Holidays will have been visited by at least onemember of the sales team, ensuring that customers receive informed andknowledgeable advice when planning their holiday. www.farawayholidays.co.uk Tapestry Collection Travelzest acquired the assets of Tapestry Holidays and has launched arevitalised brand consisting of the very best of the Tapestry range. TheTapestry Collection will initially showcase the very best of Turkey and Cretefeaturing many of the most popular hotels, apartments and villas, together withsome exciting new properties. www.thetapestrycollection.com The Wow House Company Wow House Limited, trading as The Wow House Company, is a specialist UKaccommodation provider offering an exclusive portfolio of large, prestigioushouses to rent for short breaks in the UK. The company also offers acomprehensive event planning service. www.thewowhousecompany.co.uk Captivating Cuba Captivating Cuba is a tour operator specialising in quality tailor made holidaysto Cuba. It's highly experienced team provide customers with the very bestadvice regarding how to get the most from their visit to the largest Caribbeanisland. www.captivatingcuba.com This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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