More movement in the European online travel sector with EasyVoyage paying Euro 10 million to buy fellow travel players Dealchecker and TravelJungle.
EasyVoyage will not disclose how much is being paid for each individual business, but the Euro 10 million outlay also includes acquiring FSI Travel, a digital marketing agency which focuses mostly on tour operator businesses.
The spending spree chimes with proclamations by made the company in October 2010 that it would be looking to buy its way into new markets, especially outside of its stronghold and home country of France.
Dealchecker is the largest of the three companies being bought, with around 20 members of the staff covering sales, editorial (checking deals) and tech.
Founders Alex Saint, Troy Collins and Andrew Bredon are expected to remain with the new company for around 12 months. There are no plans to retire the Dealchecker brand, such is its strong showing in search in the UK.
Just one member of staff is expected to transfer to EasyVoyage through the deal to buy TravelJungle, another price comparison site with its biggest profile and traction in Germany.
EasyVoyage secured Euro 31 million in funds in 2009 from UFG and GIMV, a round which also came three years after an initial injection of funds to the tune of Euro 9 million from Actem Partners and Seventure.
CEO Jean Pierre Nadir says the consumer site acquisitions were picked as each gave EasyVoyage a good strategic position in the individual countries rather than trying to grow the existing brand organically.
Nadir claims the company will almost double revenues in 2011 compared to the previous year, when it made Euro 17.5 million. Around Euro 8 million of the increase will be as a result of the acquisitions.