British tour operator Thomas Cook plans to acquire Biblio-Globus. According to the Turkish publication TurizmGncel, the deal has not yet been finalized, but if it goes through, Thomas Cook will gain the largest share of the Russian tourism market.
Let us recall that earlier, In 2011, Thomas Cook acquired the Russian tour operator Intourist, and if the deal with Biblio-Globus goes through, the tour operator will significantly strengthen its position in the Russian Federation.
In turn, industry representatives reacted positively to the possible acquisition of one of the largest Russian players.
"This is a shocking piece of news for us; we'd like to receive official confirmation from the company. But there's no smoke without fire. Rumors about someone wanting to buy Biblio-Globus have been circulating for two months now. And I think this is a very profitable deal for Biblio-Globus, allowing them to sell their company at its peak value. As for the acquisition of Thomas Cook, it's an excellent investment opportunity for them," Diana Ferdman, head of the Belmare travel agency, explained to TRN.
"If someone is willing to pay for your business, you should sell it. That means you've achieved very good results. I see Thomas Cook as a response to the actions of tour operator TUI, which expanded significantly last year and has serious plans for this year. The battle for market share, traditional for all countries where these leaders operate, has begun," added leading tourism industry expert Igor Kozlov.
Source: trn-news.ru