Virgin Holidays is keeping an eye out for further acquisitions following its purchase of Bales Worldwide this week.
A spokeswoman for the operator said although there are no negotiations with other companies happening at the moment, the company remains “in the market for business opportunities.”
Virgin Holidays managing director Amanda Wills said Bales had proved a tempting target due to the tailor-made options, adding: “We continue to expand into areas our customers ask us for. Bales Worldwide adds even more tailor-made and escorted long-haul adventures.”
Bales Worldwide managing director Mandy Nickerson said the deal, which was first discussed as far back as January, was for an undisclosed sum. All the staff, including Nickerson, will keep their jobs.
She said the brand would also be kept and although Nickerson will be reporting to Virgin Holidays strategy director Susan Ford, the business, which is now 100% owned by Virgin, will remain fairly autonomous.
Nickerson said any savings made from the deal were likely to come from the back office, adding: “We can share information about deals, if they’ve got a better deal we’ll go through them, but if we’ve got a better deal then they can look at that as well.
“There’s a more certain and brighter future under the Virgin flag,” said Nickerson.