The Natural Travel Collection has bought diving specialist Regaldive from Explore Worldwide resulting in seven redundancies.
The company, which owns a portfolio of niche operators, including existing dive brand Dive Worldwide, has acquired the brand for an undisclosed sum.
Regaldive will now operate out of The Natural Travel Collection’s offices in Alresford, Hampshire, instead of Ely in Cambridgeshire.
Following a staff consultation on the relocation, one Regaldive employee is to move across to the new offices and seven roles have been made redundant.
The Natural Travel Collection, which is privately owned and has 40 employees, said the Regaldive brand would remain and would be further developed. It will continue to work with the trade.
The company’s brands, which are also sold through travel agents, include Wildlife Worldwide, Families Worldwide, Walks Worldwide, Schools Worldwide and The Travelling Naturalist.
Director Teresa Bennett said: “2018 marks 30 years of Regaldive packaging diving holidays and my co-directors Chris Breen, Nick Joynes and I now look forward to taking the brand to a new level with the help of our expert team, all of whom are passionate about diving and discovering life beneath the surface of the ocean.
“We are delighted to welcome Regaldive to the portfolio, who are specialists in Egypt and the Red Sea region, among other territories.”
Regaldive was a subsidiary of Explore Worldwide, owned by parent company Hotelplan UK.
Regaldive offers liveaboard and resort based holidays for beginners and experienced divers to Europe, the Red Sea, the Caribbean, Indian Ocean and the Far East.
Explore said the sale “made sense”, with The Natural Travel Collection making an “obvious partner” for the brand.
Managing director Joe Ponte said: “Our decision to sell Regaldive followed a strong interest from The Natural Travel Collection and a recognition that Regaldive joining forces with Dive Worldwide will represent a stronger and more collaborative force in the UK diving market in the coming years.”