Tourism Holdings

Last updated

Tourism Holdings Limited
Company type Public
NZX: THL
Industry Tourism
Founded19 September 1984 (1984-09-19)
Headquarters
Auckland
,
New Zealand
Key people
Grant Webster (CEO)
Products Vehicle rentals, tourist attractions, campervan manufacturing
Website www.thlonline.com

Tourism Holdings Limited usually called 'thl' and formerly known as The Helicopter Line is a large New Zealand tourism company that has been listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange since 1986.

Contents

The company began as a scenic helicopter flightseeing business and quickly grew by acquiring new businesses and diversifying. [1] The thl business is now much different from its early years - in 2007 an extensive asset sale programme began, followed by various mergers and acquisitions in 2010–2012. It is now the world's largest provider of commercial RV rentals with rental operations in New Zealand, Australia, United States, Canada and the United Kingdom/Ireland. [2]

Sale of assets

In 2007, thl began to sell off a number of its business units including:

As some of these businesses were sold midway through the thl 2009 financial year, they are referred to as discontinued operations.

2009 financial results

On 26 August 2009, thl announced it had achieved a net profit of $2.9 million in the year ended 30 June. This was a substantial decline on the previous year when a $14.3 million profit had been achieved. [5] thl noted that discontinued operations had made a small profit however continuing operations had made a loss.

2014 financial results

On 25 August 2014, thl announced a successful turnaround [6] in the company's profitability and outlook with 192% increase in Net Profit After Tax of $11.1 million and gross annual dividend of 11 cents in calendar year 2014. A further 35% increase in forecast NPAT for FY15 of at least 15 million was also announced.

New chief executive

During the 2009 financial year, CEO Trevor Hall resigned from thl. He was replaced by Grant Webster. [7]

2012 New Zealand rental business merger

In September 2012, plans began to merge thl with two other major New Zealand campervan rental companies: United Vehicle Rentals and Kea Campervans. The proposed merger was a result of falling visitor numbers from key markets in Europe such as Germany, The Netherlands and the UK, as well as the strengthened New Zealand dollar making New Zealand a more expensive destination. Combining the three businesses would lower overall operating costs and make it the most “logical, strategic and best response to the challenging realities facing the New Zealand campervan market”. [8] On 19 October 2012 this merger was approved at a special thl shareholders meeting, effective 1 November 2012. [9]

El Monte Rents acquisition

In December 2016, it was reported that Tourism Holdings would acquire US-based recreational vehicle hire company, El Monte Rents, for $65.3 million. The deal will be funded through debt from existing lenders and 3.4 million shares in Tourism Holdings. The acquisition provides Tourism Holdings with the second-largest market share, behind Cruise America, in the US recreational vehicle rental market with 28; whilst Cruise America holds 52%. The New Zealand Herald noted that the acquisition provided Tourism Holdings with the perfect opportunity to remodel its US operations to resemble its New Zealand and Australian Businesses. [10]

THL businesses

Rentals Group: Rental campervan operations under the following brands:

Action Manufacturing: Manufacturer of motor homes, campervans, caravans and other special purpose vehicles for operators such as Pacific Horizon and thl's own Rentals Group. Located in Hamilton but supplying both the New Zealand and Australian markets. [12]

Kiwi Experience bus tour company logo.jpeg

Tourism Operations: Owner and manager of the youth and backpacker orientated bus Kiwi Experience. [13] THL also operates tours of Waitomo Glowworm Caves, Ruakuri Cave and Aranui Cave, as well as Black Water Rafting tours in New Zealand's Waitomo region. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Recreational vehicle</span> Types of vehicles

A recreational vehicle, often abbreviated as RV, is a motor vehicle or trailer that includes living quarters designed for accommodation. Types of RVs include motorhomes, campervans, coaches, caravans, fifth-wheel trailers, popup campers, and truck campers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caravan (trailer)</span> Type of vehicle

A caravan, travel trailer, camper, tourer or camper trailer is a trailer towed behind a road vehicle to provide a place to sleep which is more comfortable and protected than a tent. It provides the means for people to have their own home on a journey or a vacation, without relying on a motel or hotel, and enables them to stay in places where none is available. However, in some countries campers are restricted to designated sites for which fees are payable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Campervan</span> Type of vehicle

A campervan, also referred to as a camper, caravanette, motorhome or RV in North America, is a self-propelled vehicle that provides both transport and sleeping accommodation. The term describes vans that have been fitted out, whereas a motorhome is one with a coachbuilt body.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hertz Global Holdings</span> American car rental company

Hertz Global Holdings, known as Hertz, is an American car rental company based in Estero, Florida. The company operates its namesake Hertz brand, along with the brands Dollar Rent A Car, Firefly Car Rental and Thrifty Car Rental.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motorhome</span> Type of vehicle

A motorhome is a type of self-propelled recreational vehicle (RV) which is as the name suggests, like a home on wheels.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car is an American car rental agency headquartered in Clayton, Missouri, in Greater St. Louis. Enterprise is the flagship brand of Enterprise Holdings, which also owns other agencies including Alamo Rent a Car and National Car Rental. The company has historically concentrated on what it calls "home city" rentals, often people renting a car while their own was being repaired, but has expanded to airport-based rentals, especially after its parent company's acquisition of Alamo and National in 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ComfortDelGro</span> Singaporean multinational land transport company

ComfortDelGro Corporation is a multi-national land transport company listed on the Singapore Exchange, operating about 35,000 vehicles in seven countries. It was formed on 29 March 2003 through a merger of Singapore-based land transport companies Comfort Group and DelGro Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hymer</span> Motorhome and caravan manufacturer

Hymer AG is a motorhome and caravan manufacturer, located in Bad Waldsee, Germany. One of the largest manufacturers of motorhomes and caravans in Europe, the listed company Hymer AG owns several brands, including; Burstner, Carado, Sunlight, Etrusco, Elddis, Hymer, Laika, LMC, Niesmann + Bischoff, Dethleffs, Eriba, as well as camping equipment wholesale Movera. In February 2017 it acquired The Explorer Group based in Consett, UK adding the Elddis, Buccaneer, Compass and Xplore brands to its portfolio. In 2018, Thor Industries acquired Hymer.

Advantage Rent a Car is a privately held American car rental company headquartered in Orlando, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winnebago Industries</span> American motorhome manufacturer

Winnebago Industries, Inc. is an American manufacturer of motorhomes, a type of recreational vehicle (RV), in the United States. In 2018, the company expanded into motorboat manufacturing with the acquisition of Chris-Craft Corporation. Winnebago has also manufactured light-to-medium utility vehicles as well as other products. The company is named after Winnebago County, Iowa, where it used to be headquartered. The county is named after the Native American tribe who have historically lived in the area. During the 1970s and 1980s, Winnebago Industries depended on Native American history and traditions in naming their products, for example "Chieftain" and "Brave." They also used Native American iconography and patterns in their designs and period advertisements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">InterCity (New Zealand)</span>

InterCity is a passenger transport and tourism company in New Zealand. Its parent company is Entrada Travel Group, whose main owners are Ritchies Transport and the Tranzit Group. Entrada operates the country's only long distance bus network, and ferries and cruises in the Bay of Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cruise America</span> Recreational vehicle company based in Mesa, Arizona

Cruise America is an American Employee Owned (ESOP) recreational vehicle rental and sales company based in Mesa, Arizona. The company was founded in 1972 and was publicly traded in the American Stock Exchange under the ticker “RVR” until 1997. It then merged with Budget Group. Budget sold the company to its founders and management in 2000. In 2014 the company became an ESOP. It operates 132 locations across North America. Cruise America holds a 52% market-share in US recreational vehicles rental operations market.

A motorhome hire agency is a company which hires privately owned motorhomes to customers. This practice is common in the UK, where several agencies dominate the market. Motorhome hire is a type of vacation rental. More recently, campervan rentals have become more popular in the U.S. Campervan hire is a category of vacation rental.

The Holdsworth Motorhomes Company was a UK-based campervan conversion company running from 1968 to the mid-1990s, founded by Richard Holdsworth. It was one of the first UK campervan conversion companies, developing to hold contracts with British Leyland for the Sherpa, and the first UK company to hold approval from Volkswagen. The company ran into increasing financial difficulty, and ceased trading after one deal left the business with a surplus of stock. In 1996 its major assets were sold to new investors under Cockburn Holdsworth, but this venture was short lived, with production ending in 1998.

Wicked Campers is an Australian camper van rental company based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Founded in 2000 by John Webb, the company also has outlets in other parts of Australia, along with New Zealand, together with operations in Europe, South Africa, Japan, and North and South America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shlomo Group</span> Investment and holdings Group

ITO Shmeltzer Holdings LTD, widely known as Shlomo Group is a holdings company in Israel, consists car services, automotive, real estate, communications infrastructures, insurance, shipyards services and logistics, and more. The group was founded in 1969 by Shlomo Shmeltzer, the company started out as a car rental, leasing and automotive services company. and today, through subsidiaries, it handles car services, real estate business, communications infrastructures, insurance, shipyard services, logistics and more.

Enterprise Mobility is an American private holding company headquartered in Clayton, Missouri, in Greater St. Louis. It is the parent company of car rental agencies Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental, Alamo Rent a Car and also operates several other transportation services including commercial fleet management, used car sales, carsharing, and commercial truck rental operations.

Auto Europe is a large car rental wholesale company, working with approximately 24,000 car rental locations in 180 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, as well as North and South America. Auto Europe has been accredited with the Better Business Bureau since 2 April 1993, with an A+ rating. Auto Europe has been owned by Court Square Capital Partners since 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jucy Group Limited</span> Companies based in Auckland

JUCY is a tourism company which was founded in New Zealand in 2001. JUCY is primarily a car and campervan hire business and also operates scenic cruises in Milford Sound, and Snoozes in Auckland central, Queenstown, and Christchurch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indie Campers</span> European RV rental company

Indie Campers is a motorhome rental company, operating in the Europe, North America and Oceania, with its own fleet of over 7000 vehicles distributed by more than 70 locations in Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Croatia, United Kingdom, Belgium, Switzerland, Republic of Ireland, Sweden, Austria, Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and in the United States. In addition to its own fleet, Indie Campers has a campervan Marketplace with more than 2000 vehicles from private hosts.

References

  1. ↑ "Tourism Holdings Ltd - About Us, History thl". www.thlonline.com. Archived from the original on 24 March 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  2. ↑ Morrison, Tina (29 August 2023). "Tourism Holdings returns to profit, resumes dividends, rewards staff". Stuff. Archived from the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  3. 1 2 Business sales thlonline.com
  4. ↑ Announcement thlonline.com
  5. ↑ "Tourism Holdings Ltd - Annual Report" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 May 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2009.
  6. ↑ "Financial results" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
  7. ↑ 10 September 2008. THL New Chief Executive Officier thlonline.com
  8. ↑ "Special meeting of shareholders" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  9. ↑ "Media release" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  10. ↑ Morrison, Tina (21 December 2016). "Tourism Holdings to buy El Monte US campervan business for US$65.3 million". New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 22 December 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  11. ↑ "Tourism Holdings Ltd - THL Businesses". www.thlonline.com. Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  12. ↑ Irvine, Denise (23 February 2007). "What happens when the big guns leave town?". Waikato Times . p. FS19.; Suddaby, Reon (19 December 2007). "Strike hits busy caravan maker". Waikato Times. p. 3.
  13. 1 2 "thl Businesses" on thlonline.com Archived 7 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine THL company website
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.