Former Thomas Cook boss buys OHG assets
Former Thomas Cook boss Manny Fontenla-Novoa has snapped up the assets of defunct bed bank OHG Accommodation.
He plans to launch his own business-to-business bed bank in the UK next week, to be called Magic Rooms.
Letters are being sent to all travel agents and hoteliers who previously dealt with OHG today.
The venture will mark Fontenla-Novoa’s first return to the travel industry since he left Thomas Cook in 2011 following a series of profit warnings.
He told newspapers this week that he will own 100% of Magic Rooms, which will be run by OHG former sales director Brian Young who takes up the role of managing director.
Fontenla-Novoa said he had bought OHG’s data and computer systems from the recievers to be able to set up the business faster than if he had launched the venture from scratch.
The company will be based in Crawley and Manchester in the former OHG offices. About 15 of OHG’s staff are expected to be employed by Magic Rooms.
OHG Accommodation sank in March with debts of £7 million. Former chief executive Steve Endacott blamed a decision by HM Revenue & Customs to withhold £4.5million until the outcome of its long-running legal battle with Med Hotels, which would determine whether bed banks should pay VAT, for its demise.
Although MedHotel’s victory in the Supreme Court came too late to save OHG, Endacott said at the time that it had left bed banks in a stronger position.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025