FIRST Choice has bought upmarket French long-haul operator
Tourinter as part of its strategy to expand into specialist markets.
Tourinter, which has net assets of £1.6 million, specialises
in holidays to French Polynesia, Mauritius, Reunion, the Seychelles, Martinique
and Guadeloupe. It has four agencies in Lyons. The company expects to carry
30,000 customers this year with an average selling price per holiday of more
than £1,000.
No management changes are planned; Tourinter’s founder
Gerard La Rocca and commercial director Jean-Louis Baezner will hold the same
positions within the First Choice Group European specialist division.
Chief executive Peter Long said: “We have got to know this
business very well. This is a significant step for us.”
Long said further acquisitions of premium operators were
planned, particularly in France and Italy, as part of its strategy to generate 50%
of group profits from specialist businesses by 2003. Last year it was about
30%.