Journey Latin America has been acquired by Kuoni owner DER Touristik UK for an undisclosed sum.
Managing director Sarah Bradley (pictured) will continue to lead the business reporting to Francis Torrilla, managing director of DER Touristik UK’s specialist division which includes Carrier, Kirker, CV Villas and Jules Verne.
Journey Latin America was founded 38 years ago by Brian Williams and Chris Parrott.
The specialist operator has evolved to claim market leadership for tailor-made trips and escorted group tours to Central and South America.
With a team of travel experts based in Hammersmith in London, the brand will remain in its current location and continue to be run as a specialist business within DER Touristik UK.
DER Touristik UK CEO Derek Jones, said: “We’ve got a strong track record of running specialist businesses successfully.
“Our approach is very much about retaining the independence and specialist knowledge so they’re able to flourish, with the backing of a supportive yet ambitious group.”
He added: “The company philosophy and experience of Journey Latin America is a perfect match with our own and complements our existing brands adding a new dimension to our specialist division.
“We see opportunities to grow the business and evolve distribution through our retail network and travel agent partners.
“We’re 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.”
Bradley added: “This is a tremendously exciting new chapter for our business.
“For almost 40 years, we’ve put our passion and know-how to work, designing and delivering transformative holidays throughout Latin America.
“We’re delighted to join a group which shares our commitment to specialist knowledge, innovative travel experiences and high levels of personal service and are confident that the opportunity to collaborate across like-minded businesses will offer real benefits for our customers, our staff and our partners.”