 Vital Wave Consulting acquires tourism-focused Xola Consulting
Joining Forces to Support Business Growth in Emerging Markets
Palo Alto, CA – Vital Wave Consulting, Inc. announces the acquisition of Xola Consulting, specialists in sustainable and adventure tourism since 2004. Xola’s consulting practice will bring a sharp focus on tourism – one of the hottest growth areas in emerging markets – to Vital Wave Consulting’s current offerings in the health, financial services, education, public services, technology and agriculture sectors.
“Vital Wave Consulting recognized tourism’s increasing importance in emerging markets and the expanding role adventure and nature tourism are taking within the sector,” says Vital Wave CEO, Brooke Partridge. “Tourism is generating more than $200 billion in foreign exchange for developing countries, and adventure tourism’s growth within the sector is estimated at 17% in 2010 and 2011. Building our capacity in this space is important for providing business consulting across major vertical industries of emerging markets. We are very enthusiastic about this acquisition.”
Vital Wave Consulting accelerates revenue growth in emerging markets through end-to-end commercialization services, with a focus on technology as a business enabler. The company engages multinational corporations and development organizations to design, market and distribute solutions across a range of industries in diverse global markets.
Xola’s consulting service promises new forms of value to global organizations looking for revenue growth and sustainable products and services in emerging markets. Vital Wave Consulting’s strong relationship with global clients such as the World Bank, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the United Nations Foundation, Intel, Microsoft, and others offers tremendous potential for building synergies in the fast-growing adventure travel industry.
“Vital Wave Consulting provides us with a platform from which to provide services to a broader set of clients,” said Xola President Christina Heyniger. “It also gives us an opportunity to bring specialists with cross-sectoral experience – such as health, education, information and communication technology – to the field of sustainable tourism.”
The Adventure Travel Trade Association, a longstanding partner of Xola Consulting, is enthusiastic about the deal. ATTA President Shannon Stowell, says, “We are thrilled to see Xola Consulting reaching out past traditional tourism partners. This is an ideal combination of cutting-edge thinking and experienced business practitioners that can help solve our industry’s complex challenges.”
The Xola team will continue to support its government and corporate clients with sustainable and adventure tourism strategy, product development and marketing under the name Vital Wave Consulting. In addition to its core services, it now offers clients a larger team of highly-specialized consultants based around the developing world and a broader set of services, including technology solutions for business growth.
About Vital Wave Consulting:
Vital Wave Consulting accelerates revenue growth in emerging markets through end-to-end commercialization services, with a focus on technology as a business enabler. The company engages multinational corporations and development organizations to design, market and distribute solutions across a range of industries in diverse global markets. Vital Wave Consulting’s services include product and service design, go-to-market planning, and technology solutions development. The company’s headquarters are in Palo Alto, California, with field teams around the developing world.
For more information on Vital Wave Consulting or the acquisition of Xola Consulting, contact:
Annie Schowalter, Director of Client Services
annie.schowalter@vitalwaveconsulting.com
650-964-1316
Xola.com, the travel marketplace spun off from Xola Consulting, is a separate, independent entity from Vital Wave Consulting. |
