Hill Dickinson advises Alliance Travel Holdings on acquisition of majority stake in Major Travel PLC

International law firm Hill Dickinson has advised Alliance Travel Holdings, led by ex McKinsey consultant Qasim Gulamhusein, on its acquisition of a majority stake in Major Travel PLC. Trading for over 40 years, online travel agent Major has a reputation built on its quality service to retail travel agents.

Hill Dickinson head of aviation and travel, Joanna Kolatsis, acted as professional legal advisor for Alliance Travel Holdings alongside Rhian Hughes from the firm’s corporate team. Chris Photi of travel accountants Whitehart Associates provided financial advice.

To demonstrate his commitment to the travel trade, Qasim has taken the bold decision to take the company trade only. Qasim explained: “In our detailed analysis of the industry over the last 12 months we found that there were a very limited number of wholesale suppliers in the industry that were truly trade focused. Most wholesalers in the industry are also direct competitors to the very agents that they claim to serve. By discontinuing the retail business and focusing our entire efforts on supporting our travel agent partners, our success will be intertwined with theirs.”

Major was founded in 1973 by Mark Widdowson, who will continue as an active director retaining a shareholding. Mark said: “The trade has always been at the core of Major’s strategic direction and it is therefore with immense pride I hand over the business to such an impressive team that is so committed to serving our trade partners. I am excited about the upcoming launch of our tailor made offering, combining cutting edge technology and a global product to enable agents to effectively compete with direct sell operators in a way they have never been able to previously.”

Joanna Kolatsis said: “I look forward to supporting Qasim and his team through their ambitious growth plans and further acquisitions.”

Chris Photi added: “With our support and advice and the acquiring team’s diverse skill set, I have great confidence in the future success of Major Travel.”

Qasim concluded: “The specialist travel industry knowledge of Whitehart Associates and Hill Dickinson has been invaluable in making this transaction a success.”

Hill Dickinson offers dedicated aviation, travel and leisure teams, handling all aspects of law for companies and organisations operating in the travel industry. Joanna Kolatsis said: “We provide our clients with expert advice spanning the full spectrum of legal matters facing the travel sector in the UK and overseas. With an extensive network of contacts, we can deliver our expertise on a global scale.”