On the Beach to buy Sunshine.co.uk
On the Beach is to buy its smaller rival online travel agency Sunshine.co.uk for £12 million.
Describing the acquisition of Sunshine as ‘highly complementary’, On the Beach said move will add about 200,000 customers to its annual 1.2m clients.
"The additional passenger volumes will significantly enhance OTB’s opportunity to drive an increasing proportion of business into exclusively contracted product and an ability to leverage incremental margin," according to an On the Beach statement.
On the Beach Group currently has a 20% share of the online short-haul beach holiday market.
Chief executive Simon Cooper said: "We are delighted to have acquired a brand as well-established with beach holidaymakers as sunshine.co.uk.
"This earnings enhancing transaction reflects the board’s ambition to consolidate On the Beach’s leading position in the online beach holiday space while supporting our drive to exclusivity and underpinning our ability to further leverage our scale."
Sunshine reported gross assets of £18.6m and EBITDA of £1.6m in its latest statutory audited accounts for the thirteen months to 30 September 2016.
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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 
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026