lodgyslife Group continues its growth with the acquisition of the German company AZUR Freizeit GmbH and the signing of a substantial revolving credit facility
The Frankfurt-based lodgyslife Group is taking over the parent company AZUR Freizeit GmbH and five campsites with around 1,600 pitches and 72 rental accommodations in the popular southern German tourist regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The established AZUR brand will be retained and expanded. The employees will be kept on. The new owner, which already owns Camping Lodge, one of the leading Swiss brands for camping vacations, will thus become one of the largest operators of campsites in the German-speaking market. The Rio Vantone campsite on Lake Idro in Italy is not part of the transaction.
"By taking over the AZUR Camping brand in Germany, we are establishing our position in the strategically important German camping market," says René Müller, co-founder of the Group, "Camping as a form of vacation has been experiencing strong growth, and not just since coronavirus. Camping is part of the outdoor megatrend, as the continued strong overnight stay figures at German campsites show."
With the acquisition of the AZUR campsites in Altmühltal (Kipfenberg), Regensburg, Auwaldsee (Ingolstadt), Wertheim and Sonnenbühl on the Swabian Alb, lodgyslife AG is expanding its portfolio to a total of twelve campsites, all in prime locations. The company, which is backed by the two Swiss entrepreneurs Jan Vyskocil and René Müller, is currently the fastest growing company in the camping industry. In Switzerland, the Camping Lodge brand has succeeded in becoming the market leader in just three years. Last year, the number of overnight stays rose by 27%; the current increase is 18% (as at the end of September 2023), which is 14% above the market average.
"I am very happy that it is the financially strong lodgyslife Group that is taking over my company," says Oliver Frank, Managing Director and owner of AZUR, happily about the sale. "The company has set a new forward-looking standard in the camping market in Switzerland under the Camping Lodge brand. The innovative concept with its clear focus on guest satisfaction, quality and sustainability has completely won me over. The same goes for the partnership-based and appreciative approach of the two main shareholders Jan Vyskocil and René Müller," Frank continues. The long-standing head of AZUR will continue to advise the new owner for a few months and support the transition.
"We are proud that Oliver Frank is entrusting us with his company. He is handing over an economically healthy company with a great brand and motivated employees. We will continue to develop his life's work in a respectful and appreciative manner - in line with our philosophy and values," assures Jan Vyskocil.
In future, the company intends to further develop the German market with the two brands AZUR and Camping Lodge. This will open up additional opportunities in portfolio management and the mix of offers. The lodgyslife Group intends to significantly expand its market share in the DACH region in the coming years through further acquisitions and strong organic growth in the number of overnight stays. The efficient platform developed over the past few years serves as the basis for this, on which major synergy effects are achieved in the core areas of digitalization, operations, marketing, finance and HR.
To finance its growth, lodgyslife AG has signed a substantial revolving credit facility. Philip Spahni, Chief Investment Officer, comments: "The fact that lodgyslife is receiving such significant financing, even in today's challenging market environment, in parallel with the acquisition of AZUR, underlines the confidence in our business model and the potential of the camping and outdoor sector. With this capital, we are in a position to consistently implement our ambitious growth plans, invest in our existing locations and offer our guests the best camping experience."