Forward Travel<\/a> to accelerate its expansion into the consumer travel market, while strengthening its core B2B operations.<\/p>\nFounded in 1995 and headquartered in Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, Forward Travel has built a reputation as a trusted partner for professional athletes, tournament organisers, and broadcast production teams. With a deep specialism in professional golf and a growing footprint in other sports, including football, the business provides bespoke, end-to-end travel management services, from complex flight logistics to onsite travel desks and content support for global events. Its current clients include DP World Tour, R&A, LET, LPGA, IMG and Whisper TV.<\/p>\n
The acquisition of Find a Golf Break, a well-established, multi-award winning golf tour operator, offering curated golf holidays across the UK, Europe and worldwide, marks Forward Travel\u2019s first major step into the leisure travel market \u2013 broadening its customer base and diversifying its revenue streams.<\/p>\n
The deal also sees seasoned travel entrepreneur Steve Turner join Forward Travel as Chairman. Turner, who recently exited CMAC Group following its \u00a380m sale to ComfortDelGro, brings decades of commercial and operational experience to the board. His appointment is expected to add strategic depth as the company continues to grow across new sports and customer segments.<\/p>\n
The \u00a32m investment package comprises \u00a31m debt financing from HSBC UK and \u00a31m in equity from Arete. In addition to funding the acquisition, the backing from Arete will provide working capital to drive forward ambitious growth plans. <\/p>\n
Forward Travel currently operates with 20 staff and projects headcount will rise to more than 30 within the next year, with a focus on expanding its sales and business development capabilities.<\/p>\n
Forward Travel is on track to achieve \u00a316m revenue in 2025, with a three-year plan to triple its revenue through organic and strategic growth, scaling its core offering, developing new verticals and integrating the newly acquired leisure business into its broader platform.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/find-a-golf-break-1024x336.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Bill Tannahill, CEO of Forward Travel, said: \u201cThis acquisition is a pivotal moment in Forward Travel\u2019s journey. The support from HSBC UK and Arete gives us the platform to grow with confidence \u2013 expanding our capabilities, entering new markets, and continuing to deliver the personalised, high-quality service our clients rely on. Bringing Steve Turner onto the board strengthens our leadership at a critical time, and we\u2019re excited about what comes next.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ben Hatton, Partner at Arete, added: \u201cForward Travel is a high-integrity business with a proven track record in sports travel. The acquisition of Find a Golf Break adds a valuable consumer-facing arm to their platform and opens up exciting growth opportunities. We\u2019re proud to continue to back Bill and the team on this next stage of their journey.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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