U.K.-based First Choice Holidays has
acquired small-ship cruise line Quark Expeditions, said Patrick
Shaw, President of Quark.
In a release, Shaw
said that Quark will join First Choice's Activity Holidays Sector,
a growing international collection of adventure travel
businesses.
Quark Expeditions
specializes in small-ship polar and arctic sailings.
Lars Wikander,
co-founder of Quark Expeditions, exited his position as chairman of
the Board and as Quark's majority shareholder.
Shaw will continue
in his position as president and will "lead the same management
team and staff" at the Darien, Conn.-based operation.
First Choice is
headquartered in Crawley, England, and operates in 17 countries.
According to First Choice's trading report dated May 1, it paid
about $13.6 million for Quark and was one of two acquisitions made
so far in 2007.
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Jainchill at [email protected].