Announcement: Experience Oz joins Big Red Group
Unity is a powerful thing, particularly in business. Partnerships, alliances and acquisitions can create significantly more value, deliver new opportunities and bring much stronger offerings to the market for all stakeholders. When each partner brings a specific set of skills and expertise to the table which complements the other, it makes for a dynamic union.
Such is the case with Big Red Group acquiring Experience Oz and Experience Oz Local Agent from holding company TicketMates Australia.
In line with Big Red Group’s ethos to support local, the new additions are Australian owned and operated entities, making them a logical fit to join its powerhouse of experience brands which include Adrenaline, Lime&Tonic, and RedBalloon.
All brands under TicketMates Australia will move into Big Red Group’s portfolio of brands, with the exception of auto-club business Club Connect – a dedicated member benefits platform serving Australia’s large-scale auto-clubs such as RACQ, RACV and NRMA.
While Club Connect will continue to procure its existing products directly, Big Red Group has negotiated a long-term wholesale agreement enabling Big Red Group experience suppliers to be progressively introduced to the portal, giving them exclusive access to auto-club’s 11 million members.
Queensland based Experience Oz is an industry leader in serving domestic holiday makers, while its B2B platform Local Agent, is Australia’s leading one-stop-shop for concierge activity bookings. Local Agent currently serves 700+ hotels including Mantra and Oaks Hotels, providing access to 3000+ experiences Australia wide.
These new acquisitions provide Big Red Group with a very complete marketplace, while giving its suppliers unparalleled access to both direct and indirect audiences with B2C, B2B, and exclusive partnership offerings.
When David Anderson and I co-founded Big Red Group more than 4 years ago, we had a vision to build a multi-brand marketplace, with each brand speaking to a distinct audience, and where people would recognise the value in buying experiences over material goods.
David Anderson summarises this very succinctly, seeing this amalgamation as a win-win for all parties. “We areabsolutely delighted to welcome Experience Oz and Local Agent into our portfolio of experience brands. This is a natural evolution that has been in the workings for over a year and we are tremendously excited about the mutual benefits ahead through driving efficiencies and expanding product offerings.”
As has been the underlying mantra throughout the pandemic, we are stronger together. Whether that be in the community or in business, it’s very much applicable to the times we are in.
I look forward to bringing you more news of this in the near future as opportunities are realised.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Experience Oz Joins The Big Red Group
What is the Big Red Group (BRG)?
The Big Red Group is Australia and New Zealand's largest marketplace for experiences, co-founded by Naomi Simson. It is a parent company that owns and operates several leading experience brands, including RedBalloon, Adrenaline, and now Experience Oz, with a clear mission to serve an experience every second, somewhere in the world.
Why did the Big Red Group acquire Experience Oz?
The acquisition of Experience Oz was a strategic move to strengthen the Big Red Group's position as the market leader in the domestic tourism and experience sector. Experience Oz brings a strong brand, a loyal customer base, and a significant network of tourism operators, which complements BRG's existing portfolio and accelerates its overall growth mission.
What does this acquisition mean for the Australian tourism industry?
This consolidation means greater support and opportunity for local tourism operators across Australia. By joining the Big Red Group, Experience Oz's supply partners gain access to a larger audience and more powerful marketing and technology resources. For consumers, it means an even greater choice of incredible local experiences all in one place.
How does Experience Oz fit with the other brands in the Big Red Group?
Experience Oz fits perfectly into the Big Red Group's multi-brand strategy. While brands like RedBalloon focus on gifting and Adrenaline on high-octane adventures, Experience Oz has a strong foothold in the domestic travel and "things to do" market. Each brand serves a slightly different customer need, allowing BRG to cater to the entire spectrum of the experience economy.
What is the long-term vision for the Big Red Group?
The long-term vision is to build a world-class technology platform that serves the entire experience ecosystem, from individual customers to tourism operators. By bringing leading brands like Experience Oz into the group, BRG is working towards its goal of making it easier than ever for people to find and book unforgettable experiences, thereby supporting the growth of the entire industry.
