Skift Take

BCD Travel has been steadily growing around the world, but its latest acquisition will help it compete in the crowded U.S. market for travel management services.

Consolidation in corporate travel continues, with established players continuing to expand their share of markets as competition increases. While an arms race is on to expand into the small- to medium-sized market, the big players are still expanding in the top of the market.

BCD Travel, one of the largest travel management companies in the world, will acquire MIlwaukee-based Adelman Travel, adding to its stable of agencies in North America.

Adelman Travel is one of bigger travel management companies in the U.S. with $675 million in sales volume last year. The company already partnered with BCD Travel as an affiliate.

“Our financial strength affords us the opportunity to grow our company with moves like this one that benefit our clients, employees, partners and affiliates,” said Craig Bailey, president of Americas for BCD Travel. “It fits perfectly with our strategy of growing organically through investments in products and services and through acquisitions of successful companies that share our company values and culture.”

Last month BCD Travel expanded its reach outside North America by buying Japan’s Hitachi Travel Bureau.

Over the past few years, BCD Travel has made a series of investments and acquisitions in regions all over the world. Particular focus has been given to South America and Asia, whether corporate travel management is starting to become a bigger business.

Competitors American Express Global Business Travel and CWT have been on acquisition sprees of their own in recent years. As the marketplace becomes more dominated by larger players, more companies like Adelman Travel will likely join forces with the dominant travel management companies as they compete for scale.

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Tags: acquisitions, bcd travel, ctir, travel management

Photo credit: A worker building the BCD Travel booth at GBTA Convention 2019. BCD Travel / Twitter

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