Deal Details

WalksDevour Is Acquired by Shamrock

Technology & Services

WalksDevour, a subsidiary of Hornblower, a portfolio company of SVP, sale to Shamrock

Summary

WalksDevour ("Walks"), a subsidiary of Hornblower Group ("Hornblower"), a portfolio company of Strategic Value Partners ("SVP"), has been acquired by Shamrock Capital ("Shamrock"). This acquisition brings together WalksDevour, Amigo Tours and Askos Tours under "Flagship Group," a newly launched investment and holding company for larger tour operators. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Baird served as financial advisor to Walks on this trasaction.

About

Walks 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. Walks is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.

Hornblower is a global leader in transportation and sightseeing, with over a century of maritime and hospitality innovation. Its portfolio of iconic brands includes City Ferry, City Cruises and the experiences it operates in partnership with the National Park Service and Niagara Parks: Niagara City Cruises, Statue City Cruises and Alcatraz City Cruises. Together, these brands create unforgettable experiences that connect people to the waterways and landmarks that make each destination unique. Hornblower serves over 20 million guests annually, with offices in San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, New York, London, Dublin and Ontario, Canada. Hornblower is headquartered in Orlando, Florida.

SVP is a market leader in private credit, having invested in the asset class for over two decades. It uses a combination of sourcing, financial and operational expertise to unlock value in complex situations. With roots in distressed investing, SVP's platform now invests across private debt, event-driven transactions, hard assets (real estate, infrastructure, airplanes, power plants) and special situations private equity. Today, SVP has control or significant influence over 18 businesses, which employ over 90,000 employees, and has approximately $22 billion of assets under management and a team of over 200 professionals based across three continents. SVP is headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Shamrock is an investment firm with approximately $7.4 billion of assets under management as of June 30, 2026. Shamrock 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 partners with strong management teams and takes an active, collaborative approach to creating value in each investment. Shamrock is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.