Three established names in guided travel, WalksDevour, Amigo Tours and Askos Tours, are joining forces under newly formed Flagship Group, creating a global platform designed to bring together leading day-tour operators while preserving the local expertise and identities that made them successful. The founder-led companies will continue operating under their existing brands and teams, but will share expertise and resources across guest experience, guide quality, product development, technology, marketing and operations. Flagship says additional partners are expected to join in the coming months.

The move brings together distinctly different approaches to experiencing a destination. WalksDevour is known for cultural, historical and culinary experiences in iconic destinations; Mexico-based Amigo Tours operates guided excursions across North America, Europe and Japan; and Italy’s Askos Tours specializes in small-group archaeological and cultural experiences around Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast. Backed by Shamrock Capital and with travel industry veterans Rod Cuthbert and Richard Prosser joining its board, Flagship is positioning the new group around a simple premise: scale can strengthen local expertise rather than replace it.

The Curated Take

There is an important distinction between creating a global tour company and creating a global collection of local specialists. Flagship’s house-of-brands approach could give travelers access to a broader range of deeply rooted experiences without erasing the personalities and expertise that make a great guide or local operator memorable. As travelers increasingly seek experiences that open doors into a destination rather than simply pass through its highlights, the people leading the tour may matter as much as the itinerary itself.