Entrada Travel Group, the parent company of InterCity, has acquired bus operator Greyhound Australia. Photo: RNZ / Todd Niall
Auckland-based travel and tourism operator Entrada Travel Group has taken over one of Australia's biggest tourist bus operators, Greyhound.
Entrada owns New Zealand's biggest long distance bus company, InterCity, along with tourist bus ventures, ferries, and various Great Barrier-related tourist operations in Australia.
Chief executive John Thorburn said Greyhound Australia would be a natural addition to its overall transport and tourism business.
"There's a great alignment between us and we complement each other's capabilities. We see opportunities to further invest in and enhance the business."
No price for the acquisition was disclosed.
He said the aim would be to bolster Greyhound's passenger and freight operations which, like InterCity in New Zealand, serviced many regional towns and communities that did not have other commercial transport links.
"We provide choice and a cost-effective service - which is critical in the current environment."
Thorburn said Greyhound was building new coaches and Entrada would invest to further expand and update the fleet over the next five years.
Greyhound was on the end of a consumer and environmental groups' backlash in 2020 when it took up a short-term contract to transport workers on a new coalfield project in Queensland.
As a result of the complaints it cut ties to the project "in the best interests of the company".