New Zealand specialist ANZCRO has signed a strategic partnership with Kirra Holidays in an effort to bounce back from what the wholesaler described as a “very tough” year.
The deal will see Queensland-based ANZCRO take direction of both firms in Australia, New Zealand and the UK effective today, with some job losses confirmed.
Managing director Owen Eagles told Travel Today the NZ operators had begun to explore synergies as Christchurch’s earthquake and the strong Australian dollar took their toll. The deal does not involve equity.
The brands will remain distinct but resources, systems and processes across a range of areas including sales and distribution, marketing and operations will be shared.
Both companies will also share the same product database with Kirra to benefit from use of ANZCRO’s back end software systems, described by Eagles as “enormously expensive stuff”.
ANZCRO’s New Zealand ski and FIT products will now sit alongside Kirra’s NZ coach tours, walks and special interest itineraries.
“The two product ranges are very complementary,” Eagles said. “We can now market New Zealand with a full product portfolio.”
In addition, both firms will now be represented by the same business development manager with trade marketing also to be merged, resulting in some job losses.
“We are in the process of working through that now,” Eagles admitted.
