UK-based TMC Gray Dawes has completed the purchase of Australia’s MP Travel as part of its plans to expand internationally.
Family-owned Gray Dawes, which has already completed 11 acquisitions within the UK market over the past few years, will increase its annual turnover to more than £250 million with more than 250 staff worldwide following its first international deal. Further financial details of the transaction have not been revealed.
Suzanne Horner, Gray Dawes Group’s CEO, said: “This latest chapter in our development - Gray Dawes’ 12th acquisition to date - marks such an exciting time for us and our customers.
“Our clients increasingly want global solutions, even the smaller ones. They're taking us on the journey. We've been very successful picking up businesses in the UK and integrating them. We know how to do that well. Now we're doing that overseas and Australia is the beginning with MP Travel.
“MP Travel is renowned in Australia for their loyal and outstanding staff. I am delighted to welcome them to the Gray Dawes Group.”
Lynn Manuel, joint managing director of MP Travel, said: “I am very excited by the opportunity to work with Suzanne and her team, and thrilled for MP travel's staff to be part of an award-winning travel management company.”
Gray Dawes made its 11th acquisition in August 2022 when it snapped up fellow UK TMC Ventur Travel and Horner also talked about its international expansion plans in an interview with BTN Europe at the time.
Previous acquisitions by Gray Dawes in the UK have included Chelsea Travel Management in 2017, Giles Travel in 2018 and Amber Road the following year. The company was ranked as the 13th largest TMC in the UK in Europe’s Leading TMCs 2022.
Check out all the TMC mergers, acquisitions, exits and launches over the past seven years in BTN Europe’s list of major moves within the sector.