Media
Date
09.08.2026
Company
Flagship GroupLeading Entrepreneurs Unite to Create a Global Day Tour Platform
Date
09.08.2026
Company
Flagship GroupJose Arozarena (CEO, Amigo Tours), Emiliano Tufano (CEO, Askos Tours), and Roisin O’Sullivan (CEO, WalksDevour) join the Flagship Group, a portfolio of leading travel experience brands
8 September 2026 – Madrid
Three of the world’s leading day tour companies — Amigo Tours, WalksDevour, and Askos Tours — today announce they have joined the Flagship Group to support their continued growth and expansion.
Flagship Group’s ambition is to bring together category-leading brands across some of the world’s most iconic destinations, spanning cultural, historical, culinary and city experiences. The company’s mission is to build a global platform for exceptional travel experience brands while preserving the local expertise, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit that made each company successful.
“This is not about turning great local companies into one generic global brand. It is about bringing together extraordinary entrepreneurs, guides and teams who have each built something special, and giving them a bigger stage, a stronger community and more resources to keep raising the standard for the entire industry,” said Roisin O’Sullivan, CEO of WalksDevour.
The founding companies will continue to operate under their existing brands, teams and local identities, while benefiting from the scale, shared expertise, and strategic support of the wider Flagship Group. The group will collaborate on best practices around guest experience, guide quality, product development, technology, marketing and operations to raise standards across the industry.
“Every company joining Flagship Group has earned its reputation,” said Jose Arozarena, founder of Amigo Tours. “The opportunity now is to learn from one another and build something that none of us could build alone. That's what excites me — nothing about what we love to do every day changes, but everything about what’s possible grows.”
"Some of the best ideas in our company came from a single guide in a single city," added Emiliano Tufano, Founder of Askos Tours. "Imagine what happens when those ideas can travel across every brand in the group."
In addition to the founding members, Flagship Group expects to announce additional partners in the coming months as more founder-led operators join the group.
“Our ambition is to create the world's most trusted house of brands in travel experiences. These are the best operators in the world, run by people who genuinely love this craft. Until now we've been competing in our own corners, solving the same problems in isolation. Together, we get to learn from each other, raise the bar, and give our teams a platform worthy of the work they do.” said Stephen Oddo, CEO of Flagship Group.
“The future of this industry belongs to the people who understand it best. Our ambition is to bring together the Champions League — or the Hall of Fame if you are in the US — of day tour operators globally,” said Charaf El Mansouri, Managing Partner of Flagship Group.
The tours, activities and attractions sector is one of travel’s largest and fastest-evolving categories. According to Arival, the global experiences market was valued at approximately $271 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $342 billion by 2029.
Flagship Group is backed by Shamrock Capital, a Los Angeles-based investment firm with a nearly 50-year history of supporting founder-led companies in media, entertainment, communications and related sectors. Shamrock’s investment in Flagship Group will bolster the company’s long-term growth while allowing management to remain focused on delivering exceptional travel experiences.
“Flagship brings together the rare combination of great founders, beloved brands and a large global market that is still early in its evolution,” said Mike LaSalle, Co-President & Partner at Shamrock Capital. “In a world where so much of life is moving to screens, the value of truly exceptional in-person experiences — the kind that stay with you — has only grown. We are proud to support Charaf, Stephen, Jose, Roisin, Emiliano and the wider teams as they build a global leader in high-quality travel experiences.”
Flagship Group has also announced that Rod Cuthbert, founder and former CEO and Chairman of Viator, and Richard Prosser, former founding CEO of TUI Travel’s Specialist Travel Division, now Travelopia, have joined its Board.
About Flagship Group
Flagship Group is a holding company that brings together top founder-led day tour operators. Founded by travel industry entrepreneurs and backed by Shamrock Capital, Flagship Group is building a global home for exceptional guided day tour brands, helping local teams preserve what makes them special while benefiting from shared knowledge, resources and scale. Flagship Group’s founding brands include WalksDevour, Amigo Tours, and Askos Tours.
About WalksDevour
WalksDevour is a global guided experience brand that began in the early 2000s as two companies, Walks Tours and Devour Tours. In 2021 the businesses came together, merging teams and creating a single product portfolio of meticulously curated cultural, historical and culinary experiences in the world’s most iconic destinations. The guiding principle of the business today is 'Tours that open doors', whether that be the doors of the Sistine Chapel on a pre-opening Vatican Museums tour, or an unexpected tasting at a local market.
About Amigo Tours
Amigo Tours is one of the largest day trip & excursions operators in the Spanish-speaking world, offering guided experiences in English and Spanish across North America, Europe, and most recently, Japan. Founded in Mexico City by Jose Arozarena, the company has built a reputation for scale, operational excellence and accessible, high-quality guest experiences.
About Askos Tours
Askos Tours is a small-group tour operator focused on Southern Italian cultural and archaeological experiences in Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast. Founded by archaeologist Emiliano Tufano, Askos is known for its specialist knowledge, guide quality and deep connection to local heritage, offering authentic experiences shaped by expertise, passion and local cultural insight.
About Shamrock Capital
Shamrock Capital Advisors, LLC ("Shamrock Capital") is a Los Angeles-based investment firm with approximately $7.4 billion of assets under management as of June 30, 2026. Shamrock Capital invests exclusively in media, entertainment, communications, and related sectors through a multi-fund strategy centered on private equity investments, as well as ownership and financing of content and media rights. The firm was originally founded in 1978 as the family investment company for the late Roy E. Disney and has since evolved into an institutionally backed firm with a diverse group of investors, including endowments, foundations, and sovereign wealth and pension funds. Shamrock Capital partners with strong management teams and takes an active, collaborative approach to creating value in each investment. For more information, visit www.shamrockcap.com.
For more information Website: www.flagship.travel Press: partners@flagship.travel