Latin America's Biggest Travel Company Isn't Despegar or Booking
Skift Take
Brazil’s CVC Corp.’s purchase of Argentina’s Almundo is a strategic move to increase its digital reach — but more importantly it helps CVC build even greater scale beyond its home borders.
While Despegar and Booking.com have arguably become household names for finding online travel deals in Latin America, the biggest travel company by bookings in the region is one that many may have never heard of: Brazil’s CVC Corp.
The group, which started in 1972 as Agência de Viagens CVC, has since grown into a parent company with several brands covering everything from cruises, car rentals, hotels, flights, and all-inclusive packages. While Brazilians likely have seen the name plastered on one of the more than 1,200 travel agency franchise offices around the country, the name probably isn’t recognizable to many travelers in neighboring Spanish-speaking countries. But that’s changing, thanks to some key international acquisitions and a plan to become more digitally focused.
CVC has made several acquisitions in the past few years, including a move to buy 60 percent of Argentina-based travel companie
