G Adv buys Swan Hellenic

G ADVENTURES has stepped in to save the Swan Hellenic brand after its parent company, All Leisure Group, was placed in administration last month ( CW 05 Jan).

The small group adventure travel company plans to relaunch Swan Hellenic, announcing it will begin operations in 2018 with revised itineraries.

Adrian Piotto, managing director of G Adventures in Australia and New Zealand, told CW that Swan Hellenic appealed to the company as it was a “very successful brand, after pioneering that small boutique cruising market”.

“We’ve got a very strong marine program and it’s something that we can see as really expanding our marine program and our cruising program,” he said.

In a statement on the Swan Hellenic website, G Adventures specified operations would begin “with a new ship and new voyages that will continue the brand’s extraordinary legacy”.

John Warner, vice president of global sales, G Adventures, said the company was determined the legacy of the brand would live on.

“We know how beloved Swan Hellenic is to its loyal customer base and respect it has in the British travel community.”

Swan Hellenic’s itineraries will be announced this summer.

The acquisition follows the recent purchase of All Leisure Group’s British escorted touring names Travelsphere and Just You.

Piotto said G Adventures was focussing on “ensuring those two brands continue to run and we deliver what the customer has purchased”.

Administrator Grant Thornton closed down operations of Swan Hellenic and Voyages of Discovery in Jan, cancelling all trips.