Further consolidation in the holiday or vacation rental space this week as Netherlands-based @Leisure snaps up UK-based Pureholidayhomes.
Terms of the deal have not been disclosed except to say that £2 million had been invested in the business by seed capital investors and management up to the acquisition by @Leisure, which has purchased 100% of the company.
@Leisure already owns a string of holiday rental brands including Belvilla, online portal Casamundo and Euro Relais.
Pureholidayhomes was launched just two years ago and brings a portfolio of more than 25,000 properties to @Leisure's 300,000 strong portfolio of holiday homes, hotels and holiday parks.
The holiday rental market has seen a lot of activity in recent years with HomeAway's steady purchase of a string of companies including Realholidays and Second Porch just over a year ago and Homelidays in 2009, OwnersDirect in 2007 and HolidayRentals in 2005.
TripAdvisor has also been gaining ground in the sector with its acquisition of FlipKey in 2008 and HolidayLettings in June 2010.
The reviews giant also announced partnerships in November with a number of holiday rental specialists across the globe including Switzerland-based Interhome and Spain's TopRural.
A recent report from research firm PhocusWright valued the European holiday rental market at €20 billion in 2010 with predictions for modest growth in the next two years.