Xanterra adds to portfolio with cruise ships, other acquisitions ...

February 19, 2013 2:50 PM

Xanterra Parks & Resorts, a suburban Denver hospitality and tourism company that operates lodges, restaurants and retail outlets in national parks, has expanded its holdings with a series of travel and leisure acquisitions.

Xanterra said Tuesday it had reached an agreement to purchase three all-suite cruise ships from Seabourn, a Seattle-based cruise company. The 104-suite ships will be added to the fleet of upscale Windstar Cruise ships, which Xanterra acquired in 2011. The Windstar fleet now will have six ships and 1,230 berths.

Xanterra also said it had acquired VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations, a 42-year-old Vermont-based company that offers bicycling, walking, river barge and cross-country skiing tours worldwide for small groups, and The Grand Hotel in Tusayan, Ariz., a 15-year-old, 121-room hotel at the south rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Xanterra already operates six lodges, more than 900 rooms and numerous retail, food, beverage and tour operations at the park.

?These businesses build on our existing portfolio as well as expand our operations into adventure vacations throughout the world, further diversifying our leisure travel holdings,? Andrew N. Todd, Xanterra?s president and CEO, said in a news release.

Xanterra was acquired in 2008 by the Anschutz Corp., whose Clarity Media Group purchased The Gazette in November. Other Anschutz Corp. holdings include The Broadmoor hotel in Colorado Springs.

According to an Anschutz Corp. website, Xanterra is the oldest and largest operator of lodging, restaurants and retail outlets in national parks, which are operated under concession contracts with the National Park Service.

]In addition to the Grand Canyon National Park, Xanterra?s operations include those at Yellowstone, Zion, Crater Lake, Rocky Mountain and Petrified Forest National Parks; the Mount Rushmore National Memorial; Furnace Creek Resort in Death Valley National Park; five Ohio State Park Lodges; and the Geneva Marina in Ohio?s Geneva State Park, according to the Xanterra news release.

Xanterra also owns and operates Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Va., and the Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel.

Source: http://www.gazette.com/articles/xanterra-151221-portfolio-ships.html

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