Travelcare acquisition

TRAVELCARE is ploughing ahead with its strategy of acquiring more direct businesses with the purchase this week of Majorca specialist Medinland.

The deal sees Travelcare take on Medinland’s two call centres in Sheffield and one in Chingford, Essex, as well as its brands Hello Holidays, Journeys Direct and Sun Choice.

All Medinland’s staff are being retained, including managing director Patricia Rossello-Palmer and director Richard Knight.

The dynamic packaging operator, which sells via Teletext and online and was launched in 1998, previously sold holidays under dual contracts, but acquired an ATOL in March to cover 56,000 passengers. Total annual passenger numbers are 80,000. Average prices are £350 with turnover of more than £20 million. Last year Medinland’s pre-tax profits were more than £1 million.

All Leisure Group chairman Roger Allard is believed to have made around £1 million on the sale of his 25% stake in Medinland as part of the deal. Allard was unavailable for comment as Travel Weekly went to press.