Apple Leisure Group
 | |
| Private[1] | |
| Industry | Hospitality, Travel, Tourism |
| Founded | 2013 [2] |
| Headquarters | Newtown Square, PA, United States |
Area served |
|
Key people |
Alejandro Zozaya (CEO) Javier Coll (Executive VP) Jeff Mullen (COO) John Hutchinson (CFO) [3] |
| Services |
|
| Revenue | $3 billion[4] |
Number of employees | 25,000+ |
| Parent | Bain Capital |
| Subsidiaries |
|
| Website | appleleisuregroup.com |
Apple Leisure Group (ALG) is a vertically-integrated travel and hospitality company focused on packaged travel and resort/brand management in Mexico and the Caribbean. It is a parent company of resort and brand management company AMResorts and its loyalty program, Unlimited Vacation Club. ALG also oversees tour operators Apple Vacations and Travel Impressions, online travel agency CheapCaribbean.com, as well as destination management company AMStar DMC.[5]
History
In 2001, current ALG CEO Alejandro Zozaya, founded resort sales, marketing, and brand management company, AMResorts. Over a decade later, he led the effort to form Apple Leisure Group by making tour operator, Apple Vacations, a sister company of AMResorts. ALG received an influx of equity in late 2012 when it sold an undisclosed stake in its business to Boston-based global alternative investment firm, Bain Capital. In 2013, Apple Leisure Group quickly added to its family of companies with the acquisition of online leisure wholesaler, CheapCaribbean.com, and B2B tour operator Travel Impressions from American Express. Rounded out by destination management company, Amstar DMC, and AMResorts’ guest loyalty program, Unlimited Vacation Club.[6]
Subsidiaries
AMResorts
Founded in 2001 by Alejandro Zozaya, AMResorts operates 36 all-inclusive beachfront resorts under 6 different brands in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Curacao and St. Thomas. The brands managed are:
- Zoetry Wellness and Spas
- Secrets Resorts & Spas
- Breathless Resorts & Spas
- Dreams Resorts & Spas
- Now Resorts & Spas
- Sunscape Resorts & Spas
AMResorts have said that, by the end of 2018, they expect to operate at least 47 resorts in 24 destinations.[7]
Apple Vacations
In 1969, John Mullen and his brother-in-law, Al Atkinson, founded a small travel company called Atkinson & Mullen. Years later, Mullen renamed the company Apple Vacations as he became the sole proprietor and entered into one of the larger travel package operators in the U.S.[8]
Travel Impressions
In 1967, Arnold Tolkin purchased a travel agency called ATS. Seven years later, Tolkin formed a group incentive and convention travel company out of ATS and named it Travel Impressions. In 1998, the Tolkin family, along with partner, Ira Theodore, sold the tour operator to American Express.
In 2013, American Express and ALG announced an agreement under which ALG would acquire Travel Impressions and American Express’ international tour operator American Express Vacations International (AEVI). In the agreement, Travel Impressions would become the exclusive marketer and operator of AmericanExpressVacations.com [8]
CheapCaribbean.com
Founded by Jim Hobbs and established in 2000, CheapCaribbean.com is an e-commerce vacation company providing last-minute deals on beach travel to the Caribbean and Mexico. In August 2013, CheapCaribbean.com was acquired by Apple Leisure Group. The company continues to operate as a separate, wholly owned entity, with offices in Dallas, Phoenix and Philadelphia.[9] The online travel agency was named one of Inc. Magazine's "Top 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America" in 2013.[10]
Amstar DMC
Amstar DMC has provided destination solutions and excursions in Mexico, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic since 1989. Amstar’s corporate headquarters are located in Cancun and Punta Cana.
In 2008, Amstar became the first Mexican destination management company to open a representation office in Shanghai, China. Five years later, an office was officially opened in Hawaii through Amstar's sister company, Worldstar. In 2014, it commenced operation in Costa Rica.[11]
Unlimited Vacation Club
The Unlimited Vacation Club is a guest loyalty program founded in 2010 operated by AMResorts. Members are granted access to benefits including preferred rates at AMResorts-managed properties in Mexico and the Caribbean.[12]
References
- ↑ "Apple Leisure Group". LinkedIn. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
- ↑ "Apple Vacations". Apple Leisure Group. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
- ↑ http://www.appleleisuregroup.com/
- ↑ "Hispanic Executive". Hispanic Executive. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ↑ "Apple Leisure Group". Investments. Bain Capital Private Equity. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
- ↑ http://www.travelpulse.com/news/features/apple-leisure-group-sells-undisclosed-stake-to-bain-capital.html
- ↑ http://www.amresorts.com/mediasite/documents/2013/12/new-developments-chart.pdf
- 1 2 http://www.travelpulse.com/news/features/apple-leisure-group-acquires-competitor-travel-impressions.html
- ↑ http://www.cheapcaribbean.com/about-us.html
- ↑ http://www.travelpulse.com/news/vacation-packages/apple-leisure-group-buys-cheapcaribbeancom-vacation-booking-website.html
- ↑ https://www.amstardmc.com/pages/about_us.html
- ↑ https://www.unlimitedvacationclub.com/ClubOverview