Kuoni parent buys Journey Latin America

Kuoni parent DER Touristik UK has acquired Journey Latin America for an undisclosed sum.

DER, which also owns specialist brands Carrier, Kirker, CV Villas and Jules Verne, said it planned to retain the Journey Latin America brand and its existing Hammersmith offices.

CEO Derek Jones said: “We’ve already demonstrated that we’re very good at nurturing specialist brands, creating a space for them within the group, and our plan with Journey Latin America is very similar.

“There are no immediate plans to make any structural changes. We’ll take our time.

“It’s a very well established and very authentic brand that was founded 38 years ago and we would look to add to it but in a careful and measured way.”

He said the deal would give Journey Latin America additional distribution through Kuoni’s 48 stores and through DER’s B2B partnerships.

Journey Latin America’s founders, Brian Williams and Chris Parrott, both in their 70s, are withdrawing from the business but managing director Sarah Bradley will stay on in the role reporting to Francis Torrilla, managing director of DER Touristik UK’s specialist division.

Journey Latin America has around 50 staff selling luxury holidays to Central and South America.

Jones said its programme complements Kuoni’s own operations in the region and there is ‘very little overlap’.

He said DER was committed to ‘identifying new opportunities, looking forward at the trends in travel and investing in acquiring businesses when we find something we know fits our vision’.

source: Travel Mole