Flight Centre buys Opodo Corporate from eDreams
Flight Centre is planning to expand its business travel operation in Germany after buying Opodo Corporate from eDreams ODIGEO for an undisclosed sum.
Opodo Corporate will operate as FCTG Corporate until the end of this year and transition to Flight Centre’s global travel management brand, FCM Travel Solutions, from January 1, 2018.
FCM Travel Solutions has had a presence in Germany since 2006 through its partnership with the business travel unit of DER Touristik, which was one of the first European corporate agencies to join FCM’s global partner network and has traded under the FCM brand for the past 11 years.
FCM and DER Touristik have come to an amicable agreement to end their existing partnership from January, said the Flight Centre.
Christoph Fuhrer, MD of the business travel unit of DER Touristik, said: "The close collaboration with FCM and the network has been a valuable asset for us in order to service our national and international clients.
"We would like to thank our FCM partners for the professional and fruitful collaboration."
Flight Centre corporate MD Steve Norris said: "As the flagship corporate travel division of Flight Centre Travel Group, FCM operates in more than 90 countries in Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas.
"We wanted to strengthen our equity-owned business travel presence in Northern Europe, so embarked on an acquisition strategy last year concluding an agreement with eDreams ODIGEO to acquire Travellink Corporate in several markets.
"This included Opodo Corporate in Germany. This investment and the potential growth of our own corporate travel business in Germany means that FCM’s current partnership with DER Touristik will come to an end at the start of 2018.
"FCM has enjoyed an excellent relationship with the business travel unit of DER Touristik for the last eleven years, who were a valued founding partner of FCM’s global network. On behalf of FCM Travel Solutions, I would like to thank DER for their longstanding support as our partner in Germany."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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