The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has instructed one of the UK's largest independent travel agents to temporarily stop merging two recently purchased businesses.
Watchdog Intervention on Recent Deals
Hays Travel, based in Sunderland, must now pause all integration work concerning its October acquisitions. The company bought Shropshire-based Polka Dot Travel and Leicester-based The Independent Travel Company Limited, which trades as Millington Travel. These deals added a combined 29 branches and 77 staff to the Hays group, primarily across the Midlands, North West, and North Wales.
Initially, Hays stated that both brands would continue trading under their original names and that all jobs were secure. However, the competition regulator has stepped in, citing concerns that the firms may have "ceased to be distinct." The CMA has served initial enforcement orders on Hays Travel Limited, Polka Dot Travel Limited, and The Independent Travel Company Limited.
Strict Conditions Imposed by the CMA
The orders, served on December 16, 2025, mandate that Hays Travel ensures Polka Dot and Millington operate as separate entities with sufficient resources to remain viable. Key prohibitions include the integration of IT systems and the sharing of business secrets or commercially sensitive information.
Furthermore, the CMA has ruled that, except in the ordinary course of business, no significant changes can be made to the organisational structure or management responsibilities within the businesses. The range and quality of services offered must be maintained, and key staff cannot be changed.
It is understood that some integration had already occurred before the order was issued. A spokesperson for Hays Travel said: "We are committed to cooperating with the CMA throughout the review process. Each brand will operate separately."
Broader Context of Hays Travel Expansion
This year, Hays Travel has been actively expanding through acquisition. Before the Polka Dot and Millington deals, the company purchased the Victoria Travel Group, including cruise.co.uk and Seascanner, in an undisclosed transaction. In June, it also acquired the Essex-based Spears Travel Group, which brought 12 more branches into the fold.
The CMA is now formally reviewing whether these latest acquisitions have created a "relevant merger situation" that could lead to a substantial lessening of competition within the UK travel market. The enforcement orders will remain in place until the investigation is concluded.
