Manchester-based travel group Sports Tours International has completed the acquisition of Golfbreaks – Europe’s leading golf travel operator.
The move cements Sports Tours International’s position as the UK’s largest and fastest-growing sports travel group.
Founded in 1973 and owned by Betfred Chairman Fred Done, Sports Tours International has more than quadrupled its turnover since 2021. The business is projected to deliver more than £200m of sales in the next financial year and features in the latest Sunday Times 100 list of the fastest-growing UK companies.
The strategic acquisition of Golfbreaks transforms Sports Tours International’s golf travel offering. The Golfbreaks brand will continue to operate from its existing headquarters in Windsor and its four founders – Andrew Stanley, Steve Hemsworth, Guy Proddow and Daniel Grave – will remain with the business.
Sports Tours International’s Chief Executive Officer, Tim Przybysz said: “The acquisition of Golfbreaks represents a landmark moment for Sports Tours International as we seek to transform the sports travel industry.
“Our business is built around delivering unforgettable experiences at the biggest sports events and destinations in the world. Golfbreaks is a natural fit and the team share the same passion for product innovation and outstanding customer service. We are delighted to welcome Golfbreaks into the Sports Tours family.”
Sports Tours International is the global market leader in mass-participation sports travel with offices in the UK, France, Ireland and the USA. It is official tour operator to the TCS London Marathon, Europe’s only premium tour operator to the Tour de France and the UK’s exclusive partner to Club La Santa in Lanzarote – Europe’s no.1 sports resort.
Founded in 1998, Golfbreaks is the market leader in golf travel, sending more than 230,000 golfers a year to its partner network of more than 1,000 resorts. With 200 employees based at offices in Windsor, Charleston (USA) and Copenhagen (Denmark), Golfbreaks has an unrivalled reputation for long-term partnerships, operational excellence, and customer-first service.
Andrew Stanley, Founder and CEO of Golfbreaks said: “We are incredibly proud of the business we have built and the reputation we have earned over the past 28 years. We are equally delighted to be joining Sports Tours International. Golfbreaks will continue to go from strength to strength and the whole senior leadership team is excited about our next stage of accelerated growth”.