Key Travel is merging its business operations with a Dutch firm to create the world’s largest travel management company exclusively focused on the humanitarian, faith-based and academic sectors.
The London-based travel management company has acquired 100% of the shares of Raptim Humanitarian Travel for an undisclosed sum.
Raptim, founded in 1946, is an international humanitarian/faith focused TMC based in Tilburg, Holland and owned by the Saint Bonifacius Foundation, a fund for charity purposes.
The merged business will have sales approaching £350 million and more than 500 staff in ten countries.
Key Travel CEO Saad Hammad, former CEO of Flybe and chief commercial officer at easyJet, will lead the combined businesses,
He said: “A combination with Raptim is an exciting opportunity for Key Travel.
“The strategic rationale is strong: undisputed leadership in humanitarian, faith-based and academic travel globally, a doubling in scale in the US and a significant complementary platform in mainland Europe.
“There are many economic synergies, given the high level of sector, geographic and systems overlap. Above all, both organisations are people focused and values driven, with emphasis on compassion and service.
“A combination will enable us to serve our customers better, collaborate more effectively with our suppliers and offer more development opportunities for our people.”
Eduard Kimman, chairman of the board of Raptim, added: “Key Travel’s acquisition of Raptim is a huge win-win. It provides a major growth opportunity for both our businesses through a strengthened and expanded service offering for our customers and markets and a platform to leverage complementary skills and capabilities.
“We will benefit from a singular investment in technology and our scale and sales momentum gives us an opportunity to retain and energise talented and passionate employees.
“Key Travel like Raptim is all about respect, responsibility, expertise, compassion and customer service and so the cultural fit is strong.”