UK competition watchdog expands review of Hays Travel acquisitions
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is expanding its antitrust review into recent travel agency acquisitions by Hays Travel.
The CMA is now seeking comments on the recent acquisitions of Polka Dot Travel and Millington Travel.
The competition watchdog started an investigation in late 2025.
It ordered Hays Travel to postpone the integration of the two agency groups.
Polka Dot Travel has 15 agency stores in the Northwest and Midlands.
Millington operates 14 agency branches in the Midlands.
“The CMA is issuing this ‘invitation to comment’ to allow interested parties to submit to the CMA any initial views on the impact that the two transactions could have on competition in the UK,” the CMA said.
“This invitation to comment is the first part of the CMA’s information-gathering process.”
It requests comments to be sent to [email protected] by 9 February.
Hays Travel has said it is cooperating with the CMA’s review process.
Both the acquisition deals were announced in October just a few days apart.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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