Wednesday 08.10.2008

Law firm Halliwells has Advised on the Sale of Luxury Travel Firm Carrier to Kuoni.

The sale of Carrier is a share sale of two associated companies - Carrier Ltd and Carrier International Limited.

Carrier has over 27 years' experience in luxury travel and has firmly established a reputation as one of the market leaders in the luxury holiday market. Carrier expects to report total turnover of £36m for the 2007/2008 financial year, which ended on 30 September, 2008. The two companies' 84 employees will be retained under new ownership.

Established in 1980, Carrier is a privately-owned specialist travel company founded and run by Ian Pollitt, Managing Director, and his wife, Carole. Although Carole Pollitt will be retiring from the business, Ian Pollitt will continue in his role as Managing Director assisted by Finance Director of the business, Tony Lovett, who will also act as Deputy Managing Director of Carrier.

Kuoni Travel Ltd, which has grown into not only the largest travel company in Switzerland, but also one of the leading travel organisations in the world, was founded by Alfred Kuoni in 1906.

Since 1966, Kuoni has led the UK longhaul tour operation market and has consistently been this country's most successful specialist tour operator. In recent years the company diversified into niche market operating, for example, Voyages Jules Verne and Travel Collection. These are successful specialist business units with full autonomy for product and marketing benefiting from the financial strength and the central infrastructure of the Kuoni Group.

Kuoni UK restructured and expanded its product portfolio in 2006. With the acquisition of the Journeys of Distinction and Kirker Holidays brands in 2006, and CV Travel in 2007, this intensified its focus on quality travel products.
Halliwells' team was led by partner and head of corporate Mark Halliwell and lead corporate associate Christian Doyle. It also comprised corporate trainee Daniel Sheehan, property associate Krista Powell, employment associate Melanie Wilkinson and tax associate Richard Clitherow.

Halliwells has built up specialist expertise in the travel and holiday sector having recently advised on the sale of bespoke holiday firm Elegant Resorts to travel giant Thomas Cook and the sale of Holiday Supplies Ltd – also to Kuoni.
On both the Carrier and Elegant Resorts transactions Halliwells worked closely alongside Swiss corporate finance boutique Hitz & Partners, who are widely respected within the travel industry.

Kuoni Travel Ltd was advised by Guildford firm, Stevens & Bolton LLP.

About Halliwells

Halliwells is one of the UK's leading multi-disciplinary law firms with over 1000 people and offices in Manchester, Liverpool, London and Sheffield