The company managing the Rogla ski resort and the spa Terme Zreče will be acquired by a Slovenian private equity fund, which has promised to undertake major investments.

The resort and the spa in the Pohorje area have so far been ran by Unitur, the tourism arm of Unior, the state-owned tool maker and automotive supplier which is based in Zreče.

Unior has been trying to offload the indebted company for a while. It has now signed a sale agreement with Advance Capital Partners.

The deal is subject to regulatory approval and will be finalised by the autumn at the latest, Advance Capital Partners said on 11 March.

The business news portal Finance cited unofficial information in reporting that Advance Capital Partners will pay €12.2 million for Unitur. It will also take over all of Unitur's financial liabilities.

"Unitur is one of the largest Slovenian tourism companies with its ski resort at Rogla, spa Terme Zreče, hotels Rogla, Planja, Brinje, Natura, Atrij, Vital, Klasik and Medico, cottages, hostels, villas, bungalows, swimming pools, wellness facilities and numerous restaurants. It also has a very high multiplier effect for the local community," Advance Capital Partners stated.

Unior chairman Robert Vuga said that this strategic step will give Unior some financial relief, allowing it to focus more on its core business.

At the same time, Unitur will have an owner with a strong financial backing and a vision for further development of tourism in Zreče and Rogla.

Unitur has been built as an important part of Unior by generations of its employees, so Vuga said the decision to sell was "very difficult yet well thought-out".

Advance Capital Partners chairman Aleš Škerlak announced a major investment drive to put Rogla and Zreče on a par with Austrian, French and Italian resorts.

Advance Capital Partners specialises in private equity fund management. To date, it has completed more than 30 mergers and acquisitions in the region.

Its special investment fund, through which it will acquire Unitur, is the largest private equity fund in the region.