Travel Leaders Corporate and ALTOUR’s corporate travel business are aligning under a single powerful brand, ALTOUR offering travel fulfillment, data and insights, and meetings and incentive management, effective today.
The two sister companies have been working closely together for more than two years cooperating on international accounts, air agreements and entertainment travel. The alignment was a natural outgrowth of that collaboration and the companies’ commitment to providing customized travel solutions and services.
“We are thrilled about the unique opportunities this will create for our corporate customers, as well as our employees and supplier partners,” said Alexandre Chemla, founder and CEO of ALTOUR in a press statement. “We will maintain a laser-like focus on the customer experience, cement our lead as an innovator and continue our goal of winning the hearts and minds of corporate travel managers and business travelers alike.”
The combined business represents multi-billions in total travel volume, bringing immense buying leverage to new and existing customers in the midsized-market. The ALTOUR brand will have more than 2,000 travel professionals and advisors and more than 57 office locations. ALTOUR will continue its ongoing partnership with Travel Leaders Network, including its international network spanning more than 80 countries.
The move will allow the business to offer corporate travel clients an increased array of products and services, maximize its supplier relationships, attract and retain highly skilled staff, accelerate its technology solutions, and expand its global reach.
“Bringing these two great companies together will enhance our core value proposition for our customers by matching the customer to the right service model, while gaining efficiencies and creating synergies that will allow us to compete effectively and grow for the future,” said Travel Leaders Group CEO J.D. O’Hara in a press statement.
“As we learned more about each other’s businesses and recognized how complementary our cultures were, this coming together was a natural evolution,” added Chemla. “By joining forces, we can clearly define customer segments, create distinct account ownership with end-to-end solutions, facilitate specialization around verticals, strengthen our operations processes and invest greater resources in technology solutions.”
The ALTOUR senior leadership team will include ALTOUR founder & CEO Chemla; Gabe Rizzi, who has been named chief revenue officer; Lee Thomas, chief operating officer; Barry Noskeau, executive vice president, strategic planning and Joseph Oppold, executive vice president, global operations.
“This alignment brings together two amazing companies building on our rock-solid value proposition of service-first enabled by cutting-edge technology,” said Rizzi in a press statement, adding, “As we work to integrate our people, programs and systems, we will keep our customers front and center.”
Among the short-term and long-term advantages, the leaders listed:
- Expanding geographical opportunities for fulfillment and account management
- Creating consistency in account management and customer experience
- Utilizing the most effective systems and processes for everything from ecommerce and online booking tools to ticketing, flight notifications, duty of care, quality control, support services and after-hours service
- Capitalizing on Travel Leaders Corporate’s strong nation-wide service delivery operation
- Tapping into ALTOUR’s robust presence in the U.K. and France, as well as ALTOUR’s rich leisure offering to corporate clients
Richardson, Texas-based Canyon Creek Travel, which was acquired by ALTOUR over a year ago, will also rebrand to ALTOUR and Randy Limbacher will continue to manage the business as managing director. ALTOUR’s entertainment business and independent travel advisor business will continue to operate as usual.
The alignment of Travel Leaders Corporate and ALTOUR’s business travel division creates a company focused on travel fulfillment, data analytics and insights to help companies get the most from their travel spend, supplier agreements, customer experience and global support.
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