BDO advise on the sale of Wild Frontiers

Founded in 2002 by travel writer and explorer Jonny Bealby, Wild Frontiers operates more than 375 tours annually across 60 destinations worldwide. The Company has built a loyal customer base, reflected in its 4.9 Trustpilot rating, NPS of 67 and repeat booking rate of 46%.

Under CEO Clare Tobin's leadership, Wild Frontiers has implemented a growth strategy focused on technology, product development and customer experience. The Business has also expanded its responsible travel proposition, including the launch of an off-peak collection designed to support local communities beyond peak travel seasons. 

Against a backdrop of growing demand for experiential travel, small group tours and premium travel experiences, particularly among over-50s and solo travellers in the UK and North America, the Company is targeting a near tripling of annual passenger numbers over the next four years.
 

"When you decide to sell a business you’ve spent 30 years building, you want the right advisors on your side. From my first meeting with the BDO team, I had little doubt that they were the people I wanted to work with. The whole process was led effectivity and efficiently from the quality Information Memorandum they produced right through to the offers they achieved - from both trade and private equity. They have all surpassed my expectations. Once a preferred bidder was chosen their patience, skill and determination helped carry us through to an exceptional sale. Should I ever go through this extremely complicated process again, I would have no hesitation in appointing BDO. They have been superb."

Jonny Bealby, Founder

"We knew Wild Frontiers would attract a huge amount of buyer interest when we first got to know the Business.  It caters to the ever-growing demand for premium, cultural, off-the-beaten track experiential travel in the comfort of small groups. It has an excellent management team, great metrics and source markets that can support its continued growth trajectory. The Business has managed the transition from inspirational, seasoned-traveler founder to professional management seamlessly and will continue to be a great success."

Harry Stoakes, Head of Leisure M&A

The BDO Project Team Included:
M&A: Harry Stoakes, Tom Urquhart, Freddie Florin, Olivia Grummitt
Modelling: Janie Reid, Alexa Harley, Luke Owen
Tax: Christopher Mann, Vishal Patel