Travelocity sells hotel and conference division
Travelocity Business UK has sold its UK hotel and conference booking service to specialist Expotel for an undisclosed sum.
It will continue to operate as a full service travel management company.
Expotel has acquired the First Option name and existing hotel and conference clients.
Travelocity Business president Lesley Harris said: “This sale is intended to focus our ongoing operations while providing hotel and conference clients with a trusted UK travel partner.
“As the leading hotel booking agency, Expotel is the perfect company to acquire that part of the business.â€
Expotel chief executive officer Ian Burnley said: “This acquisition is consistent with our strategy to develop the Expotel business in the UK.â€
Expotel was acquired in a management buyout in July 2008 at which time the business also acquired NIS Europe, the fifth largest HBA in the UK.
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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