Travel Seen acquires majority stake in Oxford Ski Company

A majority stake in one of the UK’s leading luxury ski specialists has been acquired by expansionist firm Travel Seen

 

The deal for an undisclosed shareholding in Oxford Ski Company follows a string of acquisitions in 2023 followed by eShores the following year, bringing the collective group total travel value to more than £55 million.

 

Manchester-based Travel Seen is headed by former ITC chief executive Jen Atkinson and backed by investment firm Arete Capital Partners.

 

Chief executive Mark Gibbons and company founder and chairman Rupert Longsdon will remain at the helm of the ski operator, retaining a “meaningful” equity stake, to ensure continuity of service to its loyal customer base.

 

Oxford Ski Company specialises in curating high end ski experiences both chalets and hotels at ski resorts worldwide catering for ultra high net worth travellers.

 

Travel Seen, described as a “social first” luxury travel group, aims to create inspiring and authentic travel content and deals, directing customers to book these via a curated network of travel companies.

 

Atkinson said: “The opportunity for building travel brands in the social space is huge. Other sectors such as fashion and beauty have been hugely disrupted by social media and we hope to lead the way, similarly, in the travel sector.”

 

She added: “We have searched for experienced, high growth travel businesses and our investment in Oxford represents our biggest and most transformational investment to date.

 

“This next investment represents a step change in the scale and credibility of our growth and M&A mission.

 

“One of the most important factors when investing is the quality of the team and what Mark and Rupert have built over time is enviable.

 

“We are excited to welcome Oxford Ski Company into the Travel Seen family and look to continue making further investments as we grow, both organically and through further investment.”

 

Mike Fletcher, joint managing partner at Arete Capital, said: “Since our initial investment in Q3 2021, we have backed Jen’s vision to build a challenger brand in the travel industry.

 

“Over the last 12 months, the business has deployed an M&A strategy which plays to Jen’s strengths and mirrors the success story of her previous experience scaling ITC Travel to a £90 million TTV group prior to exiting.”

 

He added: “This investment reflects our continued focus on partnering with high-quality, owner-managed businesses with strong growth potential and differentiated market positions.

 

“Oxford Ski Company brings a compelling combination of brand strength, specialist expertise and an established high net worth client base. The alignment between the teams creates a strong foundation for long-term value creation.”

 

Longsdon said: “I am super proud of the journey and growth of Oxford Ski Company to where it is today. This investment represents an exciting new chapter in the continued growth of the business.”