Travel
Integral makes partial exit from Japan’s Skymark
Japanese private equity firm Integral Corporation has sold most of its remaining position in Skymark Airlines, the budget air carrier it took public in December last year.
Deal focus: Affirma generates 8x return with India’s TBO
Affirma Capital makes good on a partial exit from Indian travel agent software provider TBO.com as General Atlantic comes in to help rekindle plans for a domestic IPO
Lightspeed leads $50m round for Singapore's YouTrip
Lightspeed Venture Partners has led a USD 50m Series B investment in Singapore-based travel wallet and currency exchange app YouTrip.
General Atlantic backs India travel platform, Affirma exits
General Atlantic has acquired a minority stake in TBO.com, an India-based business-to-agent travel portal that serves a global customer base, for an undisclosed sum. The deal facilitates a partial exit for Affirma Capital.
Peak XV, Elevation, Andreessen back India visa platform
Peak XV Partners, formerly Sequoia Capital India, and Elevation Capital have led a USD 12m Series A round for Indian visa platform Atlys with support from Andreessen Horowitz.
Malaysia's Vynn achieves first close on second VC fund
Malaysia-based early-stage investor Vynn Capital has reached a first close of unspecified size on its second fund, with strong support from corporates and family offices in Southeast Asia.
Fund focus: Australia’s Next thrives under the radar
Next Capital claims to have relatively free rein in Australia’s underpenetrated lower middle market. Dedication to the opportunity set underpinned a painless fundraising process for its latest vehicle
Apax invests $450m in India’s IBS Software, Blackstone exits
Apax Partners has agreed to pay USD 450m for a significant minority stake in India’s IBS Software, a travel and logistics industry supplier, enabling an exit for The Blackstone Group.
AVCJ Awards 2022: Deal of the Year – Large Cap: Crown Resorts
Crown Resorts represented a daunting target, given its size and pandemic and regulatory-related challenges. The Blackstone Group drew on its global know-how to make the USD 8.1bn deal work
Deal focus: VIG secures rare airline turnaround opportunity
VIG Partners stepped into the breach when Eastar Jet’s previous white knight bailed. It agreed to recapitalise the airline on obtaining assurances that key licenses and routes remain in place
VIG acquires Korea's Eastar Jet
Korea’s VIG Partners has acquired 100% of local low-cost airline Eastar Jet for USD 117m, citing plans to introduce new aircraft to the fleet as part of a “quick turnaround.”
Australia's ABGF invests $10m in local tourism player
Australia Business Growth Fund (ABGF), a partially government-backed investor that backs small to medium-sized companies, has invested AUD 15m (USD 10m) in local tourism company HMC Group.
BlackRock leads $300m investment in Indonesia's Traveloka
BlackRock has led a USD 300m investment in Indonesia’s Traveloka via a credit fund as expectations mount for an IPO by the travel platform.
Japan’s J-Star backs campervan manufacturer
Japanese lower-middle market private equity firm J-Star has confirmed an investment of undisclosed size in Toy Factory, a campervan designer and manufacturer.
Deal focus: PAG goes back to the theme park
PAG returns to a historically fruitful niche with the acquisition of Japanese theme park operator Huis Ten Bosch. COVID-19 made the deal possible but remains a wildcard
PAG buys Japanese theme park for $722m
PAG has agreed to buy Huis Ten Bosch, a Japanese theme park best known for its recreations of idyllic European cityscapes, for an equity valuation of approximately JPY 100bn (USD 722m).
Deal focus: Seeing light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel
Taiwan travel start-up KKday continues to raise capital seemingly on its own terms despite flights remaining largely grounded. It expects a boom toward year-end and near-normalcy in 2023
TGVest helps Taiwan's KKday lift Series C to $95m
Taiwanese e-commerce and travel platform KKday has closed a protracted Series C capital raising process with USD 95m. Local private equity firm TGVest Capital led the latest tranche.
Blackstone agrees $6.3b buyout of Australian casino operator
Australian casino operator Crown Resorts has agreed to an acquisition by The Blackstone Group at an equity valuation of AUD 8.9bn (USD 6.34bn), ending a nearly one-year pursuit.
Quadrant exits Australia experiential tourism business
Quadrant Private Equity has sold Journey Beyond, an Australia-based experiential tourism business, to US-based Hornblower Group, which is best known for offering cruise and sightseeing packages.
MBK agrees $1b China theme park deal
MBK Partners has agreed to buy five ocean theme parks in China – four operational and one under construction – from Hong Kong-listed Haichang Ocean Park Holdings for RMB6.53 billion ($1.01 billion).
PE-backed Oyo targets $1.1b India IPO
Oyo, an India-focused budget hotel platform backed by the likes of SoftBank Vision Fund, is looking to raise up to INR84.3 billion ($1.1 billion) through a domestic IPO.
Vision Fund commits $1.7b to Korean travel start-up Yanolja
Yanolja, which claims to be South Korea’s only travel industry unicorn, has received $1.7 billion from SoftBank Vision Fund 2. There are no other investors in the round.
Carlyle leads restructuring of Trans Maldivian Airways
The Carlyle Group’s credit platform has led a restructuring of Trans Maldivian Airways (TMA), a Bain Capital-owned seaplane operator whose fortunes are tied to those of the Maldives tourism industry.