THOMSON has strengthened its position in Norway with the £13m acquisition of Oslo-based Via Gruppen AS.
The group includes Norway’s leading travel agency chain, Via Leisure Travel, and the market leader in long-haul and short breaks, Prisma Tours.
The 56-strong agency chain gives Thomson its first retail operation in the region which will aid distribution for Star Tour, part of the Fritidsresor group acquired by the market leader in January 1998. Fritidsresor already has a presence in Norway.
“This was a major reason for the acquisition,” said a Thomson spokesman.
He denied it had paid too much for a company which made a £300,000 loss in the year to December 31 1998.
“It did not make a profit due to the integration of three retail brands,” said the spokesman. “It has significant earning potential and we anticipate it will make profits in 2000.”
Prisma Tours, which has 9% of the Norwegian overseas inclusive tour market, carried 90,000 passengers last year, 50% of which were flight-only.