Flight Centre Travel Group will add online cruise and ski specialist agency Iglu to its brand portfolio, subject to regulatory approvals, with the £100 million (around AUD$200 million) acquisition set to accelerate growth in the lucrative global cruising sector.
Cruise is a rapidly growing leisure sector with sales at both FCTG and Iglu increasing by 15 to 20 per cent year-on-year, driven by a resilient customer base and a supply chain that has invested heavily in new ships and partnerships.
The London-based OTA currently captures more than 15 per cent of UK cruise bookings and more than 75 per cent of online bookings. Cruise accounts for 90 per cent of the company’s total bookings with Ski contributing the remaining 10 per cent.
With Iglu on board, FLT expects its cruise-related total transaction value (TTV) to almost double to more than AUD$2 billion in FY26 – two years ahead of plan.
The purchase will expand the Group’s cruise footprint, delivering scale, advanced technology and wider access to the UK, the world’s third-largest cruise market.
In the UK, Iglu’s online cruise platform complements the Group’s existing brands in the market: Flight Centre, Scott Dunn (acquired in 2023) and Cruise Club UK. Globally, it joins Cruiseabout Australia, Cruise HQ and MyCruise.
Its industry-leading platform will be integrated across the Group’s leisure brands, boosting sales and creating an omnichannel experience for cruise clients, as well as providing an entry point to other markets, such as the US.
Flight Centre Travel Group Managing Director Graham Turner said: “This acquisition creates significant future opportunities in the global cruise market.”
“Iglu brings a leading UK position, a strong brand and a scalable technology platform that aligns with FCTG’s strategic objectives. The business also has a strong people network and a strong culture that aligns with our own.”
Iglu CEO David Gooch will continue to lead the business from its Portsmouth and Wimbledon offices, which will form part of the Group’s leisure division headed by Global Leisure CEO James Kavanagh.
Kavanagh shared his excitement about the Group’s latest acquisition on LinkedIn.
“Cruise has been one of our big moves in recent years. We’ve accelerated MyCruise, acquired Cruise Club UK, relaunched Cruiseabout Australia, built Cruise HQ (wholesale) and turbo-charged cruise across Flight Centre and Travel Associates,” he said.
“Iglu, the UK’s leading online cruise agency, takes us to the next level. A big warm welcome to the Iglu team, we’re thrilled to build the next chapter together.”
Gooch said: “We are thrilled to become part of the Flight Centre Travel Group. This opens up significant future growth opportunities, allowing us to scale our operations while maintaining the unique identity that has made us so successful.”
“By leveraging our world-leading ecommerce platform alongside Flight Centre’s global experience, we are perfectly positioned to capture market share.”
For more info, head to fgtgl.com
