Hyatt to acquire Apple Leisure Group

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Apple Leisure Group (ALG), a leading luxury resort-management services, travel and hospitality group, from affiliates of each of KKR and KSL Capital Partners, LLC for $2.7bn (£1.97bn). The transaction is anticipated to close in the fourth quarter of 2021, subject to customary closing conditions. ALG’s resort brand management platform AMResorts provides management services to the largest portfolio of luxury all-inclusive resorts in the Americas under the AM Collection brand portfolio, including well-known brands Secrets Resorts and Spa, Dreams Resorts and Spas, Breathless Resorts and Spas and Zoëtry Wellness and Spa Resorts as well as the fast-growing Alua Hotels and Resorts brand, which is expanding in European leisure destinations. The acquisition includes ALG’s membership offering, Unlimited Vacation Club, travel distribution business ALG Vacations, as well as destination management services and travel technology assets. Following the move ALG’s business will continue to be led by current ALG CEO Alejandro Reynal and the current ALG leadership team. Reynal will become a member of Hyatt’s executive leadership team and report to Hyatt CEO Mark Hoplamazian. Mark Hoplamazian, president and chief executive officer, Hyatt, said: “With the asset-light acquisition of Apple Leisure Group, we are thrilled to bring a highly desirable independent resort management platform into the Hyatt family. The addition of ALG’s properties will immediately double Hyatt’s global resorts footprint. “ALG’s portfolio of luxury brands, leadership in the all-inclusive segment and large pipeline of new resorts will extend our reach in existing and new markets, including in Europe, and further accelerate our industry-leading net rooms growth. Importantly, the combination of this value-creating acquisition and the $2bn (£1.4bn) increase in our asset sale commitment will transform our earnings profile, and we expect Hyatt to reach 80% fee-based earnings by the end of 2024.” ALG’s hotel portfolio consists of over 33,000 rooms operating in 10 countries. The portfolio has grown from nine resorts in 2007 to approximately 100 properties by the end of 2021 and has a pipeline of 24 executed deals with a large number of additional hotels in the development process. Reynal said: “Combining Hyatt’s deep expertise and global brand footprint with ALG’s strong resort brands, operating capabilities and robust development plans will elevate our differentiated position and create a leader in luxury leisure travel. “On behalf of everyone at ALG, I am grateful to our partners at KKR and KSL who supported us in building the platform into what it is today. I am excited to have our team join the Hyatt family and I anticipate a robust growth journey ahead as the industry expands and we are able to provide a best-in-class leisure offering to an even larger group of travelers around the world.” He added: “Today is a great milestone in what has been a story of growth, resilience, and dedication to world-class leisure experiences by an outstanding team at Apple Leisure Group,” said Chris Harrington and Rich Weissman, partners at KKR and KSL Capital Partners, respectively. “There is simply no better home for ALG to continue on its growth trajectory than being part of Hyatt.”