Travel Design Store buys premium-villa broker Villada in ownership shake-up

What's the deal? Travel Design Store Collection OyDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has acquired VilladaDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → Oy, a Finnish broker specialising in premium villas in southern Europe, in a share deal that closed on July 2. The entire share capital transferred to the buyer, now wholly owned by travel-sector entrepreneurs Sonja Sarlin and Jari Sarlin. Deal terms were not disclosed.

Who's involved? Villada was founded in 2014 by Tommi Lehtonen and Eerik Rusanen. Sonja Sarlin becomes chief executive officer and Jari Sarlin chief financial officer, both bringing what they describe as Aktiv-Resor's 40 years of experience in international travel.

Why now? The founders said their focus had shifted toward domestic tourism and experiences aimed at international travellers through their Mökkivuokra and Hideout Villas brands. Selling Villada, they said, was a "luonteva jatko" — a natural continuation — of recent strategic development.

What changes? For customers, nothing immediate. The companies said the acquisition brings no changes to Villada's daily operations, which continue as normal under new ownership.

What's the endgame? The Sarlins plan to grow Villada on its existing strengths. "Villada täydentää erinomaisesti muuta matkailuliiketoimintaamme," they said, framing the broker as a complement to their wider travel business and a platform for its next growth phase.

The signal: The deal reflects a broader consolidation in Finland's travel and accommodation sector, where post-pandemic demand has returned to a growth path. With tourism reaching 2.5% of GDP in 2024, experienced operators are increasingly pursuing growth through acquisitions rather than building from scratch.

Read more: Kauppalehti

Image credit: dalecruse