Leading European travel brand - @Leisure-Group - acquires pureholidayhomes.com Ltd

Dutch based @Leisure-Group has recently completed the acquisition of pureholidayhomes.com, one of the UK’s largest second home rental website, for an undisclosed sum.

For the @Leisure-Group, the purchase of pureholidayhomes.com represents a further strengthening of their position as one of Europe’s largest online accommodation brands, which currently includes in excess of 300,000 holiday homes, holiday parks and hotels through their Belvilla, Ardennes Relais, Euro Relais and Casamundo companies and a 2011 turnover of almost €200 million.

pureholidayhomes.com launched in January 2010 in an effort to provide a new and exciting feel to the UK’s holiday home rental sector. With over 26,500 properties listed in under two years, pureholidayhomes.com is one of the fastest growing companies in the sector and has been nominated for numerous awards and frequently been featured on national television and radio due to its innovative marketing and development initiatives.

For @Leisure-Group the acquisition is a logical step. Chairman Maarten Esser: “By completing the acquisition of pureholidayhomes.com we accelerate the realisation of our international growth ambitions. We want to be present in all the major European markets, so also in the UK. Via this acquisition we will be able to give both UK property owners and UK holidaymakers access to our European wide platforms. ”

Sean Collins, CEO of pureholidayhomes.com, comments: “This is a hugely exciting time for pureholidayhomes.com. From the start we have had an aggressive growth plan for our brand and the partnership we have now forged with @Leisure-Group enables us to continue to offer our registered owners and website visitors a first class experience whilst also continuing to expand and revolutionise our sector. Our inclusion into the @Leisure-Group will give us the resources and necessary investment to ensure pureholidayhomes.com remains at the forefront of the ever progressing holiday rental market in the UK and across Europe.”

The purchase of pureholidayhomes.com comes at a time when the holiday rental market in the UK continues to grow into the dominant force in the travel sector as a whole. PhoCusWright reported that in 2009 the second home rental market was worth $25 billion in Europe alone.