The Kuoni Group is to acquire specialist tour operator Golf Plaisir Resebyra AB on July 1. The corresponding contractual agreements were signed on 28 April. The Swedish-based company is currently the biggest independent provider of golf travel products to the Scandinavian market, and specialises in group travel for golfers to Mediterranean destinations and exclusive tailored golfing vacations all over the world.

Golf Plaisir Resebyra AB, which was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, has a workforce of 15 full-time equivalents and generated turnover of around CHF 17 million in its 2006/07 business year. The company sells golf travel products via directdistribution channels, and some 25% of all its sales are effected online. The parties agreed not to divulge the purchase price involved.

Golf Plaisir Resebyra AB offers the Scandinavian market group travel arrangements with its own golfing staff to 18 Mediterranean destinations under its “Golf Plaisir” brand. It also provides high-value individually-tailored golfing vacations to 50 destinations all over the world under its “Out of Bounds” brand. Kuoni will retain these brands within the Scandinavian market. The present management team will remain responsible for the company’s continued development and success, and all current staff will also be retained.

“Our purchase of Golf Plaisir Resebyra marks a further step in our acquisition strategy within the specialist segment,” says Max E. Katz, CFO of the Kuoni Group and Spokesman for the Group Executive Board. “Golfing vacations are a growing market in Scandinavia, so our new acquisition is an excellent addition to our portfolio in both the inclusive tour and the tailored golf travel sectors.”

Golf Plaisir Resebyra AB will be acquired in full. In organisational terms it will be integrated into Kuoni Scandinavia, which is headed by Leif Vase Larsen. Kuoni Scandinavia is part of Strategic Business Division (SBD) Smart, which is led by Stefan Leser.