Fosun Tourism Group sells Thomas Cook subsidiary to eSky for £30m

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Fosun Tourism Group has agreed to sell its Thomas Cook subsidiary to the Polish travel platform eSky for up to £30 million. The transaction includes an immediate payment of £15 million, with the remaining amount based on future adjustments and conditions. Completion of the deal is pending approval from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), after which Thomas Cook will no longer be part of Fosun’s portfolio.

Fosun Tourism Group had originally acquired Thomas Cook for £11 million in 2019 after the company’s collapse due to financial difficulties. Thomas Cook, a longstanding player in the travel industry since its founding in 1841, had struggled with significant debt and market challenges. Fosun, a China-based tourism company, took control of the brand with the aim of reintroducing it to the market.

For eSky, founded in 2004, this acquisition provides an opportunity to strengthen its presence in Western Europe. eSky, a prominent travel platform in Central and Eastern Europe, operates in more than 50 countries across Europe, the Americas, and Africa. By incorporating the Thomas Cook brand, eSky plans to expand its offerings and increase its market share in new regions.

MCI Capital, which holds a majority stake in eSky, sees this acquisition as a move that could contribute to eSky’s growth in package sales, potentially exceeding EUR 233 million in the coming year. The integration of Thomas Cook into eSky’s operations is viewed as a strategic step in expanding eSky’s reach in competitive travel markets.