Transat receives firm purchase offer from TUI AG for French and Greek tour operating units

Transat A.T., one of the worlds largest integrated tourism companies and Canada’s holiday travel leader, has received a firm offer from TUI AG to purchase its Transat France and Tourgreece tour operating business units for an enterprise value of €54.5m, subject to working capital adjustments at closing. On that basis, Transat has granted exclusivity to TUI AG. The contemplated transaction is subject to approval from anti-trust authorities and obtaining the advisory opinion of Transat’s France Works Council (employees representatives), as mandated by French Law. Closing is expected to take place before October 31st, 2016. Headquartered in Paris, Transat France is the fourth largest integrated tour operator in France, where it operates under the Vacances Transat and Look Voyages brands. Transat established itself as a tour operator in France in the early 80’s, and acquired Look Voyages in 1996. Based in Athens, Tourgreece is an incoming tour operator. Together, Transat France and Tourgreece have 800 employees. Total sales represent approximately €450m. The proposed transaction would have no impact on Transat’s transatlantic program, as well as on the operations, personnel, distribution network and growth strategy of air carrier Air Transat, another business unit of Transat, which operates a number of direct routes between Canada and some 30 European cities, as well as 30 sun destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean from Canada.