In a separate deal, the company also acquired Independent Travel Exchange (ITE), the Adventure & Backpacker Industry Conference (ABiC), the Golden Backpack Awards and the B2B newsletter and website Backpacker Trade News, formerly known as Thumbrella from its owner, Focal Attractions.
The deal sees the TNT Magazine brand reunited globally under CEO Kevin Ellis, with TNT Australia and New Zealand managing director Ian Wakeling appointed as a non-executive director for the new Australian company. Focal Attractions publishing director Martin Lane will consult on this year’s ITE, ABiC and the Golden Backpacks.
Kevin Ellis, who was appointed by parent company Red Reef Media’s city investors 18 months ago to lead the UK organisation’s restructuring, said: “Our new team at TNT has made massive progress in breathing new life into a famous brand. Now, with stable finances and improved profitability in the UK, it was the right time to realise our next ambition – to reunite the brands that got separated some years ago and progress towards establishing a firm global footprint.
“The opportunity to reunite the brands was important not only for the business, the brand and for the independent travelling community but also for our advertising clients who need to get their messages and offers to a leisure and travel-thirsty 18-35year old audience. Extending the reach and range of the media and events developed by Ian and Martin will enable those clients to engage with individuals on the global scale they deserve.
“Most importantly for this internet-savvy independent travelling and backpacking community, it will ensure the web platform that has seen massive growth in the Northern hemisphere will have now a footprint in the Pacific region.”
Ian Wakeling said: “I’m delighted to see the TNT brand reunited on a global scale. Kevin and his team have done great things in the northern hemisphere and I look forward to watching them do the same down here.”
Martin Lane added: “We were looking for a company who could turn Backpacker Trade News and the events portfolio into international brands. TNT Publishing was the obvious choice with its unique reach into the UK, Ireland, Europe, South Africa and now Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.”
