European Camping Group (ECG), a European outdoor accommodation provider backed by PAI Partners, is to acquire Vacanceselect, a campsite and mobile-home operator, from funds advised by Permira and minority shareholders including The Ganivenq Family and Batipart.
Headquartered in Montpellier, France, Vacanceselect is present in over 270 campsites, located across attractive holiday-making European destinations such as France, Italy, Spain and Croatia. The Company operates 22,000 mobile-homes under the Tohapi and Vacanceselect brands. Vacanceselect has a strong presence throughout the camping and outdoor accommodation value chain, including rental activities, mobile home sales and online digital distribution.
Since acquiring ECG (which is well-known for its brands Homair Vacances, Eurocamp, Roan and Marvilla) in September 2021, PAI Partners has been working closely with the management team to continue the company’s expansion through both organic growth and M&A. Vacanceselect is a transformational acquisition for ECG, allowing it to accelerate this growth trajectory, solidifying its business model and enhancing its premium value proposition.
Under the Permira funds’ ownership, the Company has more than doubled in size through a combination of portfolio expansion (from 45 to 65 owned campsites), significant investment in the premiumisation of its sites, and the expansion and increased ownership of its distribution across all key European markets.
The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including an employee consultation process and antitrust approvals.