Imagine Cruising buys Holiday Planet

IMAGINE Cruising’s acquisition of Holiday Planet ( CW breaking news Wed) will give the company national coverage in Australia, Imagine Cruising’s development director Peter Shanks told CW.

Imagine Cruising yesterday revealed it would acquire Perthbased Holiday Planet, which offers products across Cruise Planet, Holiday Planet, Flight Planet and Seniors Planet.

Up until now, the Brisbanebased Imagine Cruising has marketed itself in NSW, SA, Vic and Qld.

“We thought that it would be a really good way to give us national coverage in Australia and Holiday Planet has such a strong consumer following in Western Australia, it seemed like a really good fit,” Shanks explained.

Imagine Cruising is 51% owned by Emirates’ offshoot Dnata and it plans to use this backing to invest in growing Holiday Planet, while adding its cruise expertise, cruise line relationships and some of its unique products.

Imagine Cruising launched in Australia in Nov last year and has since grown its office from six to 40 staff, while Holiday Planet, has been operating in WA for 17 years and is led by its managing director, Alan Dodson.

“Alan and his team here at Holiday Planet are very experienced and we will bring some more innovation, flair and product,” Shanks told CW.

The deal is expected to be finalised in coming weeks, following government approval.

Pictured are: Sarah McAllister, operations director Imagine Cruising; Alan Dodson, md Holiday Planet; Peter Shanks, development director Imagine Cruising; Michael Croy, operations director Holiday Planet and Craig Collingwood, finance director Imagine Cruising.