Iglu plans further growth after latest acquisition

Monday, 03 Jun, 2013 0

Iglu.com claims it has become the UK’s largest independent cruise agent following its acquisition of Planet Cruise announced today.

The deal, backed by Growth Capital Partners, creates a company with a combined turnover of £135 million.

Iglu managing director Simone Clark said it will be keeping on all the Planet Cruise staff and both offices.

"We plan to continue to grow both the Iglu and Planet Cruise businesses and we now have an even stronger team to take us forward," she said.

Planet Cruises MD Gary West, said: "Combining Iglu’s online capabilities and our strength on television is an exciting prospect.

"There is a natural fit in the two businesses coming together and we as a team here at Planet Cruise look forward to creating a new market leader."

Iglu employs a team of 150 at its Wimbledon headquarters.

Planet Cruise, founded in 2005 by husband and wife team Gary and Jenny West, employs 75 people at its Portsmouth HQ.

It sells cruises on regular TV slots which are shown free on all digital TV platforms such as FreeView, Virgin, Sky and Freesat.

The purchase comes a year after GCP invested in Iglu.com in a deal valued at £19 million.

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Bev

Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.

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