Rockaway Capital to Acquire Experience Education from Travelopia

Rockaway Capital has agreed to acquire Experience Education from Travelopia, marking the European investment group’s first move into education and the next stage of growth for one of the UK’s leading educational travel businesses.

Experience Education works with around 1,400 schools and takes close to 100,000 young people away each year, through its six specialist brands: Travelbound, SkiBound, Edwin Doran, Masterclass, World Challenge and JCA.

Importantly, Rockaway is not simply acquiring the business. It plans to invest in its growth and pursue further acquisitions in the UK and continental Europe, with the ambition of building Europe’s leading educational travel group.

Jaroslaw Czernek, Partner at Rockaway Capital, said: "We are investing in education, and in the growing importance of hands-on, experiential learning. Experience Education has been taking learning beyond the classroom for more than 50 years, safely and at scale. We have been hugely impressed by John and his team and by what they have achieved, and our ambition is to build on it. The business is a superb foundation for further growth, both organically and through market consolidation. We will back it with capital and with the experience we have gained building travel businesses of our own."

John Upton, Managing Director of Experience Education, said: "Our team takes real pride in what we do for schools, teachers and the young people who travel with us. Rockaway knows about travel, understands our business and shares our ambition for it. With their long-term backing and expertise, we can reach even more schools, keep investing in our people and products, and grow through acquisitions.  For our existing school partners, our focus remains unchanged as we continue to support your teachers, reassure your parents and inspire your students. This is a really exciting new chapter for all of us in Experience Education."

Christine Franks, Corporate Development Director at Travelopia, said:"Experience Education has grown strongly under Travelopia’s ownership, and we are pleased it will continue its journey with a new owner fully focused on its potential. We wish John and the team every success."