Decision Nº M/10/003 from Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, 2010-02-15

• Jurisdiction: Ireland
• Parties: Budget Travel Limited (In Liquidation),Club Travel Limited
• Date: 15 February 2010
• Decision Number: M/10/003
• Status: Cleared (Phase 1)
• Court: Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (Ireland)
• Decision Date: 15 February 2010

Draft 13 October 2009

M/10/003 – Club Travel/Budget Travel

DETERMINATION OF MERGER NOTIFICATION M/10/003 -

Club Travel/Budget Travel

Section 21 of the Competition Act 2002

Acquisition by Club Travel Limited of Bud get Travel Limited

Dated 15 February 2010

Introduction

1. On 22 January 2010, in accordance with Section 18(1) of the

Competition Act 2002 (“the Act”), the Competition Authority (“the

Authority”) received a notification of a proposed transaction whereby

Club Travel Limited (“Club Travel”) would a cquire sole control of

certain assets of Budget Travel Limited (“Budget Trav el”) (collectively,

the “Budget Travel Assets”).

2. Budget Travel ceased tra ding on 25 November 2009. On 14 Decembe r

2009 the H igh Court appointed Simon Coyle, of Mazars, as Liquidator

of Budget Travel. Upon completion of th e liquidati on process, Budget

Travel would be dissolved.

The Undertakings Involved

The Acquirer

3. Club Travel is a 75 % owned subsidiary of Club Travel Holdings Limited,

a company controlled by Mr. Liam Lonergan. The rema ining 25% is

owned personally by Mr. Liam Lonergan.

4. In the State, Club Travel is mainly active as a travel agent and to a

limited extent as a tour operator. Club Travel operates from its retail

premises in Dublin and over the internet. As a travel agent, Club

Travel’s activities include:

• The sa le of packaged holidays organised by tour operators, flights

and hotels to customers;

• The provision of travel agency services to corporate customers and

the government sector; and,

• The distribution to other travel agents of long -haul flights of airlines

which do not have sales and marketing offices in the State.

5. As a licensed tour operator, Club Travel organises soccer and rugby

tours. However, Club Travel’s involvement in this business has been

limited […] in 2008.