Luton-based Broadway Travel has completed the acquisition of Directline Holidays.
The Directline Holidays name will be retained as a trading name of Broadway for the foreseeable future.
But the buyout will mean the closure of Directline’s Croydon call centre with the loss of around 50 roles, although new positions are being recruited for at Broadway’s Luton base.
A small Directline customer service and finance team will be retained to manage existing bookings, a statement released moments ago said.
Adam Pardini, managing director of Broadway, said: “Directline Holidays has been a fantastic brand over the last 20 years and we are proud to be associated with the business moving forward.”
Co-founder of Directline, Antony Bradley, added: “It’s very sad, but necessary, to be closing our call centre. Many of our excellent staff have been with us for a long time and we wish them all the best for the future.
“But while we’re sorry to be closing the call centre, it’s good to know that the Directline Holidays brand will be in safe hands and that Broadway is committed to developing the website and adding new products”.
Broadway said the acquisition, the value of which was undisclosed, will allow it to enhance its online offering and work closely with partners to drive specific products through the Directline site.
In July last year Broadway signalled its ambitions to grow by creating a new travel agency consortium aimed specifically at online retailers with call centres.
Run by Pardini and finance director Jill Gardner it was granted accredited Atol status by the CAA in November 2012 having announced its first member 2bookaholiday.