Experience Co’s Wild Bush Luxury Sale Signals Strategic Shift and Debt Focus

Strategic Divestment in Adventure Tourism

Experience Co Limited (ASX – EXP), a leader in adventure tourism, has announced the sale of its Wild Bush Luxury portfolio to Intrepid Travel for $5.1 million in cash. This move follows a comprehensive strategic review completed in late 2024, where Experience Co identified an opportunity to streamline its operations and sharpen its focus on market segments with greater scalability and stronger returns on capital.

The Wild Bush Luxury portfolio, acquired by Experience Co in 2021, includes some of Australia's most iconic nature-based tourism experiences – the Arkaba Homestead and Walk in South Australia, Bamurru Plains in the Northern Territory, and The Maria Island Walk in Tasmania. Additionally, the sale transfers rights to develop future experiences in New South Wales and Tasmania, underscoring the portfolio’s unique footprint in immersive wilderness travel.

A Boutique Asset Finds a New Home

CEO John O’Sullivan described Wild Bush Luxury as a cherished but boutique asset that no longer fits within Experience Co’s core operational strategy. He highlighted Intrepid Travel’s global reputation for sustainable tourism and conservation as a natural fit for the portfolio’s future. Intrepid’s expertise in delivering immersive, nature-based experiences positions it well to nurture and grow these assets beyond Experience Co’s current scope.

Experience Co’s management plans to use the net proceeds from the sale to reduce corporate debt, a move that could strengthen the company’s balance sheet and support its growth ambitions in other adventure tourism verticals. The transaction is structured as a 100% share sale on a cash-free, debt-free basis, subject to customary completion adjustments, and is expected to close by the end of February 2026.

Implications for Investors and the Market

Importantly, Experience Co has indicated that the divestment will have no material impact on earnings, suggesting the portfolio was not a significant contributor to current profitability. Instead, the sale appears to be a strategic repositioning aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and unlocking shareholder value through a more focused portfolio.

For investors, this transaction signals Experience Co’s commitment to concentrating on scalable adventure tourism segments that promise better returns. Meanwhile, Intrepid Travel’s acquisition could signal its intent to expand its footprint in premium, sustainable nature-based tourism within Australia.