Dubai’s Dnata Buys Majority Stake In UK-Based Holiday Firm

Air travel services provider dnata, a part of Emirates Group, said that it has acquired the majority stake in Imagine Cruising, a UK-based holiday firm.

The company did not disclose the value of the deal or the exact size of the stake it purchased.

Imaging Cruising is a cruise and stay holiday distributor that works with all major international cruise lines. Apart from the UK, the company also has offices in Cape Town in South Africa.

Completion of the deal remains subject to merger control clearance in South Africa, the company said in a statement. Meanwhile, dnata and Imagine Cruising will continue to operate independently pending completion.

“Imagine Cruising is a key distributor of cruise products around the world,” said Iain Andrew, divisional senior vice president of dnata’s travel business.

“The addition of the company to the dnata portfolio adds expertise in the growing cruise sector, strengthening our position as an international leader in travel services.”

He added that the acquisition will help dnata understand the cruise tourism market better.

“Imagine will lead the strategic development of cruise across dnata travel brands offering customers of Travel Republic, Gold Medal Travel Group and Stella Travel Services an enhanced choice of unique cruise holidays.”

Dnata has been expanding rapidly over the last two years as it looks to tap into a booming travel market.

Last year, the company acquired a stake in Britain’s Stella Travel Services for an undisclosed sum.

In 2013, dnata bought out the 50 per cent stake it did not already own in Air Chefs of Italy while other recent acquisitions include Broadlex, an aircraft cleaning firm in Australia, and Gold Medal Travel Group, a distributor of long-haul travel products in Britain.