Introduction
Looping Group, a prominent European group of regional leisure parks, has acquired Aquapark Istralandia, one of the leading water parks in Europe. GRUBISIC & Partners Corporate Finance acted as an exclusive financial advisor to the management and shareholders of Istralandia in the transaction process.
Information about the Acquirer
Looping is the leading European group of regional leisure parks with headquarters located in Saint-Malo, France. The Group consists of 16 parks of four types which include aquariums, animal parks, amusement parks, and water parks. Parks are located in France, UK, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, and Portugal, welcoming nearly 5.5 million visitors per year. The Group’s sites are managed independently, enabling them to adapt to local conditions, while benefiting from Group’s pooling resources in business aspects which include merchandising, catering services, marketing, digital services, finance and human resources. In 2019, Mubadala Capital became the new reference shareholder of Looping Group, aiming to accelerate the successful execution of its long-term strategy by maximizing opportunities provided by its existing portfolio, expanding through selective acquisitions, developing the attractiveness of its parks and continuing the development of in-situ lodging in several parks.
Information about the Target
Aquapark Istralandia is one of the leading water parks in Europe, located in Istria, Croatia. The park was officially opened in 2014, after which it quickly became one of the most renowned water parks worldwide, as evidenced by its TripAdvisor 2020 ranking, which ranks Istralandia as the 3rd best water park in Europe and 5th best worldwide. Istralandia’s growth and development into one of the best water parks globally was managed by a private family, employing over 150 employees during the water park season. The park area is currently spread across 82,000 m2, welcoming over 180k visitors per season to its modern and attractive water park concept with up-to-date attractions and offerings aligned with the most recent trends, combined with multi-style pool assortment, comprised of 6 pools specially designed for different types of amusement. In 2021, Istralandia generated EUR 2.2m of EBITDA.
Transaction rationale
By integrating Istralandia into Looping Group, Looping has added a 4th water park to its portfolio of leisure parks and are now counting a total of 17 parks in 8 European countries. With Istralandia, Looping Group continues its long-term strategy by acquiring selective existing independent regional sites. Previous owners will continue to be involved in operating activities as part of the management board, supporting Istralandia in the prospective resort expansion and aiming to maintain Istralandia’s reputation as one of the best water parks worldwide.
