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The deal, which comes alongside a £2m funding package from HSBC and Arete Capital Partners, will enable Forward Travel to accelerate its expansion into the consumer travel market, while strengthening its core B2B operations.
Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, Forward Travel has built a reputation as a trusted partner for professional athletes, tournament organisers, and broadcast production teams. With a deep specialism in professional golf and a growing footprint in other sports including football, the business provides bespoke, end-to-end travel management services, from complex flight logistics to onsite travel desks and content support for global events. Its current clients include DP World Tour, R&A, LET, LPGA, IMG and Whisper TV.
The acquisition of Find a Golf Break, a well-established, multi award winning Golf Tour Operator, offering curated golf holidays across the UK, Europe and Worldwide, marks Forward Travel’s first major step into the leisure travel market - broadening its customer base and diversifying its revenue streams.
The deal also sees seasoned travel entrepreneur Steve Turner join Forward Travel as Chairman. Turner, who recently exited CMAC Group following its £80m sale to ComfortDelGro, brings decades of commercial and operational experience to the board. His appointment is expected to add strategic depth as the company continues to grow across new sports and customer segments.
The £2m investment package comprises £1m debt financing from HSBC and £1m in equity from Arete.
In addition to funding the acquisition, the backing from Arete will provide working capital to drive forward ambitious growth plans. Forward Travel currently operates with 20 staff and projects headcount will rise to more than 30 within the next year, with a focus on expanding its sales and business development capabilities.
Forward Travel is on track to achieve £16m revenue in 2025, with a three year plan to triple its revenue through organic and strategic growth, scaling its core offering, developing new verticals and integrating the newly acquired leisure business into its broader platform.
“This acquisition is a pivotal moment in Forward Travel’s journey. The support from HSBC and Arete gives us the platform to grow with confidence - expanding our capabilities, entering new markets, and continuing to deliver the personalised, high-quality service our clients rely on. Bringing Steve Turner onto the board strengthens our leadership at a critical time, and we’re excited about what comes next.”
“Forward Travel is a high-integrity business with a proven track record in sports travel. The acquisition of Find a Golf Break adds a valuable consumer-facing arm to their platform and opens up exciting growth opportunities. We’re proud to continue to back Bill and the team on this next stage of their journey.”
The deal was led by Mike Fletcher, Ben Hatton and Briony Fagan from Arete, with legal support from Hill Dickinson (Laurence Laidler, Elan Iorwerth), tax advisory services by Alvarez and Marsal (Richard Dillea, James Wilkinson) and debt advisory services by Leanord Curtis (Mike Dinnell).
