Travel Leaders Network, North America’s largest travel agency organization, in partnership with sister company Travel Leaders Corporate, has embarked upon a large-scale international expansion program to expand opportunities and provide enhanced service to corporate customers. To date, 40 major travel agencies from Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Asia have become new members of Travel Leaders Network. Many more agencies are expected to join over the coming months.
“We are creating a network of agencies that will serve as connective tissue enabling us to respond to larger opportunities both regionally and internationally,” said Roger E. Block, CTC, President of Travel Leaders Network. “These agencies, now backed by the scale, technology and tools available through Travel Leaders, are positioned to provide an even more customized, personalized and superior level of service to existing and new clients within their respective geographies.”
New members, some of which are among the largest corporate travel agencies in their countries, join several existing international members of Travel Leaders Network. Combined, the network now has agency representation in nearly 50 countries. Additionally, Travel Leaders Group agencies across the U.S., Canada, the UK and Mexico, inclusive of CTS (Corporate Travel Services), will play a significant role in the international expansion.
“Our plan is to sign one exclusive Travel Leaders representative in key countries around the globe. We are engaging partners who can offer a full portfolio of corporate, leisure and events services and are recognized in their country and by their peers as service-oriented, successful agencies,” said Block.
The newly-joined international members will have access to Travel Leaders’ comprehensive suite of resources. Those include online booking tools, a wide variety of marketing programs, the company’s extensive hotel program, including its highly curated SELECT Hotels & Resorts Program, international destination company (DMC) network and access to a vast array of education and training resources. Additionally, members will be able to support both international accounts and local customers through Travel Leaders’ end-to-end technology suite that provides profile management, online trip authorization, data consolidation and analytics, meetings technology and customer reporting tools. International partners will also have access to some of the marquee leisure programs offered by Travel Leaders Network.
“This expansion program is transforming both Travel Leaders Network and Travel Leaders Corporate into more robust international players with stronger abilities and reach enabling true multi-national account management based upon a highly personalized service model on an international scale,” said Gabe Rizzi, President of Travel Leaders Corporate. “Clients will be serviced by local agencies who are leaders in their markets providing premium corporate travel services supported by a vast array of technology. These innovative agencies are now backed by one of the largest travel agency networks in the world. We’re not a call center operation and neither are they. That’s our sweet spot and our competitive difference.”
Member support will be provided on a regional basis with key positions located in each region, including Latin America; Europe, the Middle East and Africa; and Asia Pacific. “We have hired regional sales professionals in the areas of sales, operations, technology and account management to create a more localized support structure to best serve the needs of our international members,” Rizzi added.
Angeles Yugdar, Senior Vice President of International Markets for Travel Leaders Group, is leading the expansion efforts and overseeing the new regional team members. Kevin Brown, Vice President of International Sales for Travel Leaders Corporate, is also serving in a key role. New regional team members include:
•Carina Fernandez Grenno, Regional Partner Management Director, Latin America
•Susan Lancaster, Regional Partner Management Director, Europe, Middle East and Africa
•Pat Siow, Regional Partner Management Director, Asia Pacific
New international agency members include:
Armenia
Global Travel Club LLC
Brazil
Travel Leaders Brazil
Bulgaria
Jamadvice
Burma
Supported by Vietnam
Cambodia
Supported by Vietnam
China
Travelux Limited
Colombia
Trafalgar Tours SAS
Costa Rica
Rutas Aereas S.A.
Croatia
Supported by Serbia
Egypt
Travel Leaders Egypt
France
Marietton Development SAS (Havas Voyages / Ailleurs Business)
Greece
Kyvernitis Travel
Guatemala
Grupo Travel
Hong Kong
Travel Leaders Hong Kong
Indonesia
Travel Leaders Indonesia
Israel
Lachish Tours
Japan
Toppan Travel Service Corp.
Jordan
Dakkak Travel Agency (DTA)
Kuwait
KAPICO Travels and Tourism Co. WLL
Laos
Supported by Vietnam
Latvia
TAS Baltics Ltd.
Lithuania
JSC Vestekspress
Luxembourg
Select Travel S.A.
Madagascar
Arcadia Travel
Malaysia
Travel Biz & Tours
Mauritius
Arcadia Travel
Montenegro
Supported by Serbia
Netherlands
Business + Travel Group
Panama
International Meetings and Conventions Panama Inc.
Paraguay
Compania de Desarrollo Turistico SRL – Comdetur
Peru
Promotora De Viajes Nuevo Mundo
Romania
Aerotravel
Russia
IBC Corporate Travel International Business Centre Ltd.
Serbia
Travel Leaders Serbia
Switzerland
STC Travel Swiss SARL (Havas Voyages)
Thailand
Travel Leaders Thailand
Ukraine
Sky Travel Holdings Limited (Ukraine)
Uruguay
Travel Leaders Uruguay
Venezuela
Molina Agencia De Viajes C.A.
Vietnam
HG Group
The above agencies join Travel Leaders Network’s existing international members which include:
Bahrain
Cozmo Travel
India
Greaves Travel Pvt Ltd and Orchid Voyages Pvt Ltd
Ireland
Travel Management International
Qatar
Cozmo Travel
Saudi Arabia
Cozmo Travel
United Arab Emirates
Cozmo Travel
Zhang, after passing by at least five Secret Service agents and arriving in the main reception area of Mar-a-Lago told the Secret Service that she was there to attend a “United Nations Friendship Event” between China and the United States.