TLT completes sale of Inside Travel Group to new investors

Inside Travel Group (ITG) is the world’s leading Asia-focused ‘cultural adventure’ travel company, home to market-leading tour operator brands InsideJapan and InsideAsia. Cool Japan Fund is Japan’s sovereign wealth fund focused on investing in businesses that promote Japanese culture around the world and is investing alongside Piper, a leading specialist investor in consumer brands. 

The new investment from Piper and Cool Japan Fund will help ITG maintain its leading position as an Asian travel specialist, enabling the business to further drive brand awareness across the UK, US and Australia. 

TLT advised on all aspects of the sale of the shares in ITG to the new investors. The corporate team was led by corporate partner Andrew Webber, with support from managing associates Luke Thorngate-Davies and Nicola Bilner and associates Joanna Grover and James Pike. The deal also required cross-practice support from partner Mark Braude and associate Olivia Curtis in the tax team; and senior associate Oliver Swain and associate Bethany Drew in the banking team.

Commenting on the deal, Alastair Donnelly, director at ITG said: “This was our second time working with TLT on a transaction and, as before, we were delighted with our choice. The team were efficient, good humoured and delivered on time and on budget. Their advice was clear and to the point. The legal side of any transaction is complex, and the vast reams of paperwork can be overwhelming, but TLT made sure the process was seamless from start to finish. 

“The team also did an excellent job of working with the buyside lawyers to negotiate the best position for us, as sellers, without ever delaying the timetable to completion"

Corporate partner Andrew Webber added: “This deal demonstrates that there is still an appetite for investment into companies with a strong business proposition despite continued economic challenges as well as a continued increase in consumer appetite in the leisure sector.