Website Travel Group sold to Imperium Tourism Holdings

Imperium’s ownership of Website Travel Group (WTG) is effective Wednesday, 25th July 2018.

Over a period of 15 years, WTG’s founding Director, Matt McCourt, with Directors Mell Coppin & Prue Coppin, have grown what was a small family business with a handful of retail travel shops, to a significant industry presence that today encompasses more than 55 retail stores, 20 websites and 5 technology platforms, Hostels, and adventure tourism businesses.

The group technology division services more than 3,400 operators and 650 agents and is known for its innovation and progressive technology.

The sale of the Website Travel business includes the brands Peterpans Adventure Travel, Backpackers World Travel, Travel Freedom, The Travel Project, Junction 6 Travel, Rainbow Beach Adventure Company, Dingo’s Resort and Frasers on Rainbow.

Imperium Tourism Holdings is an Imperium Group company based in Melbourne. Imperium were first introduced to the WTG in November 2017 and have been engaged in an extensive due diligence process over the last 8 months. Imperium’s owner and Managing Director, Andrew Cox, is delighted to have acquired Website Travel Group in its entirety. Cox, says that strategic planning is already well underway for Imperium Tourism, and he intends to move swiftly and proactively to expand the tourism solutions into vertical tourism industries.

“I am extremely impressed with the WTG portfolio, the work of the Directors, and Management team, and their significant achievements to date. A long due diligence process has provided us with a very strong foundation of knowledge about the group and we look forward to our new role as custodian of these great businesses.”

WTG Group General Manager, Barry Downes, says he is “thrilled to continue to lead WTG into the next frontier under the new ownership. I am delighted to be working with Andrew and the Imperium team who will bring a breadth and depth of experience from a variety of businesses into all our areas of operation in Australia, New Zealand, Europe and Asia. Fresh perspectives and energy invigorate any business and everyone at WTG is looking forward to joining the Imperium Group and to continue working with all of our existing and long-standing industry partners.”

Imperium Group was founded by Andrew Cox in 2001 and it manages a diversified portfolio of businesses operating in luxury accommodation, restaurants, home improvement solutions, import distribution and sports management. Brands include boutique hotels Eichardt’s Private Hotel and The Spire Hotel, in Queenstown, New Zealand. Under its Home Solutions division, Imperium owns Garage Smart and Wardrobe World. Previously Imperium has owned Platinum Healthcare, TGI Fridays Asia Pacific (15 years), Australian Graphic Supplies (11 years) and the Melbourne Rebels Rugby Union.

Imperium is known for its disciplined focus on core business operations and strong management. This combined with experience, the un-rivalled energy, passion and innovation of the long standing 200+ WTG employees, means the future certainly looks bright for this new alliance in tourism and technology.