The NRMA enters agreement to acquire leading holiday park operator

The NRMA has reached an agreement to acquire Australian Tourist Park Management (ATPM) in a move that will see the mobility group significantly increase its travel and tourism portfolio in Australia.

ATPM has been a leader in the management and ownership of Holiday Parks around Australia for over 20 years and it currently successfully manages NRMA's portfolio of four award-winning holiday parks at the Gold Coast, Darlington Beach, Merimbula and Umina and its three franchise parks at Murramarang, Myall Shores and Sydney Lakeside on the Northern Beaches.

This month, NRMA's Treasure Island Holiday Park at the Gold Coast was voted best hotel for families in Australia by Trip Advisor, with NRMA's Umina Holiday Park ranked seventh nationally.

ATPM also manages other well-known parks and resorts for RACWA in WA, including Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort and Ningaloo Reef Resort, as well as iconic NSW destinations, such as Jindabyne Holiday Park, Breakwall in Port Macquarie and Stockton near Newcastle.

With a successful acquisition, the NRMA's portfolio of parks under ownership and management will increase to 34 across Australia, enabling the NRMA to offer high-quality management services alongside an increased national footprint of owned parks.

The acquisition will significantly enhance the NRMA's already considerable investment portfolio in Australian tourism and travel, which includes Travelodge Hotels, the Kurrajong Hotel in Canberra, and SIXT Australia.

The NRMA's planned purchase of ATPM is the latest in the company's strategy to invest in Australian domestic tourism and is a strong endorsement for what the NRMA considers the quintessential Australian driving holiday experience.

NRMA Executive General Manager of Travel & Touring Paul Davies said the NRMA wanted to enrich the holiday experience for families and couples while supporting tourism in regional Australia.

"Supporting sustainable regional communities and growing domestic tourism are two important aspects of the NRMA's new strategy and it is this vision that is driving NRMA's acquisition of ATPM," Mr Davies said.

"The driving holiday is an experience that all generations of Australians can relate to and the breadth of holiday parks under ATPM management, combined with NRMA's own portfolio, will ensure that this experience is accessible to thousands of Australian and international holidaymakers each year.

"The NRMA is committed to delivering excellent regional accommodation and also boost local jobs and economic activity - for every $1 spent in a holiday park $1.38 is spent in the local community.

"Most of these parks are located on Australia's most beautiful beaches and nature locations and the NRMA is committed to ensuring that Australian families can holiday at these destinations in quality, safe and affordable accommodation for generations to come."

Glenn Sedgwick, Chairman of ATPM, said the transaction brought together two of the major Australian owned participants in the domestic tourism sector and built on the strengths of both.

"We see the joining of ATPM and NRMA as a way to build on NRMA's great strengths in membership services and the provision of local travel and tourism experiences for families young and old, along with ATPM's market leading capabilities in park operations and development" Mr Sedgwick said.

"We think this arrangement will be good for NRMA members and for local communities where our parks are located. With the increasing corporatisation of the tourism sector, this transaction ensures that an important part of the Holiday Park industry remains in the hands of a membership-owned mutual, which should be good for families seeking terrific experiences in great locations.

"We are proud of our team at ATPM and believe they will complement the team at NRMA and together reach a new level of performance in the industry."

Paul Davies and Glenn Sedgwick both said they look forward to working with the current shareholde