Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) has acquired Iglu, the leading online travel agency, comprising three brands, Iglu Cruise, Planet Cruise and Iglu Ski.
David Gooch, Iglu CEO, will continue to lead the business, which will form part of Flight Centre’s global leisure division under James Kavanagh. The business will operate from its Wimbledon and Portsmouth offices as it does now.
In addition to targeting further growth in the UK, FCTG intends to leverage Iglu’s scalable platform to drive expansion in the fast-moving global cruise sector.
David Gooch, Iglu’s CEO, said: “We are thrilled to become part of the Flight Centre Travel Group. This partnership opens up significant future growth opportunities, allowing us to scale our operations while maintaining the unique identity that has made us successful. By leveraging Iglu’s world-leading ecommerce platform alongside Flight Centre’s global experience, we are perfectly positioned to capture new market share. Most importantly, the strong cultural fit between our businesses gives me great confidence that we will continue to deliver exceptional value to our customers, suppliers and people.”
Today, Flight Centre Travel Group is an Australia-based leisure and corporate travel management business, but it can trace its roots back 52 years to the UK in fact, where founder and CEO Graham Turner established an overland coach tour business, Topdeck, in 1973.
Global CEO and Managing Director, Graham Turner, said: “This acquisition creates significant future opportunities in the global cruise market. Iglu brings a leading UK position, a strong brand and a scalable technology platform that aligns with FCTG’s strategic objectives. The business also has a strong people network and a strong culture that aligns with our own.”
Outgoing Iglu Founder and Non-Executive Chairman Richard Downs reflects on the incredible success of the last 27 years. He says: “It’s been a remarkable journey of resilience, creativity and technical innovation, since I started Iglu in a small office in Baker Street with a dedicated team. I’m delighted to see Iglu, now the dominant European online retailer of cruise and ski holidays, become a hugely valued part of one of the largest travel companies in the world.”
The FCTG UK business now includes the Flight Centre, Scott Dunn and Cruise Club UK leisure brands, plus the Corporate Traveller and FCM corporate travel management businesses.
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