Maeva, the French online travel agency of the Pierre & Vacances-Center Parcs Group, has acquired the Vacansoleil brand and domain name. This acquisition comes on the heels of Vacansoleil’s recent bankruptcy and is expected to breathe new life into the brand.
Maeva has expressed its intent to rebuild Vacansoleil‘s camping offerings step by step, with a strong emphasis on scaling up rapidly. Director Nicolas Beaurain of Maeva shared his enthusiasm for the acquisition, stating, “Maeva’s business concept fits very well with Vacansoleil’s activities. Vacansoleil is a good and strong brand with more than 50 years of experience in the European camping market. We are very happy to keep this brand and give it a new future“.
Maeva will initially onboard 8 to 10 former Vacansoleil employees who will play key roles in the brand’s revival. Trustee Ben Arends noted, “Today we have informed the employees that a complete relaunch of the entire organization is unfortunately not feasible. The current solution is the most sensible one we could realize for Vacansoleil at this moment. At least Vacansoleil and the business concept really get a new chance“. Maeva is not taking over Vacansoleil’s organization and accommodations, as these will be sold by the trustees at a later stage.
About Maeva and Pierre & Vacances-Center Parcs Group
Maeva is known for its innovative approach to vacation rentals. They offer a wide range of accommodations, including 1,300 campsites, through their booking platform. Maeva has a strong commitment to the ecological transition of the vacation rental industry and even launched the “Campings Maeva” franchise program in 2017, which now includes 44 affiliated campsites.
The Pierre & Vacances-Center Parcs Group, the parent company of Maeva, holds a prominent position in the European tourism industry. With brands like Pierre & Vacances, Center Parcs, Adagio, and Maeva, they operate in multiple European countries, offering over 50,000 apartments and houses in 300 locations.
Details of the acquisition
The specifics of the financial transaction between Maeva and Vacansoleil remain confidential. Maeva has taken over the Vacansoleil brand and domain name, but not the organization or accommodations. The fate of existing contracts with campsites remains to be decided, with Maeva expressing an interest in reestablishing and developing collaborations with partners.
Implications for customers and creditors
For Vacansoleil customers, Maeva plans to relaunch the brand’s website to allow for new bookings as soon as possible. For customers who booked vacations before the bankruptcy and paid for them Maeva is working with the trustees to identify their number, market by market. Maeva will make its best effort to provide them, in accordance with trustees, with the best information. For example, in the Dutch market the Stichting Garantiefonds Reisgelden (SGR) will cover the holidaymaker’s expenses. Regarding creditors, Maeva have acquired the brand and they are not responsible for Vacansoleil’s debts. The trustees of Vacansoleil will be responsible for resolving any financial issues with creditors.
