A new London base is to be used as a springboard for expansion in the UK and Europe by US travel giant Travel Leaders Group.
The company includes Protravel International, the Tzell Travel Group, Cruise Holidays, Vacation.com and Travel Leaders among its many brands covering both leisure and business travel.
The operations of its two largest UK businesses – Protravel International UK and Tzell UK – have been combined in the new Covent Garden headquarters.
Protravel and Tzell UK, which employ more than 60 independent advisors and have a combined annual turnover of £40 million, will operate under the Travel Leaders UK brand.
Protravel’s Tina Rose has been named as managing director of the UK operation, while Tzell UK’s Barry Whittaker has been appointed executive director of business development and acquisitions.
Both will report to Travel Leaders Group chief executive Barry Liben, who said: “Bringing Protravel and Tzell together in new London headquarters is the first step on an aggressive expansion plan in the UK and Europe.
“These businesses complement each other very well, which is good news for our clients, agents and suppliers. The objective is to replicate the success of our US business on this side of the Atlantic.”
Since its inception in 2008, Travel Leaders Group has grown from annual sales of more than £3 billion to more than £12 billion last year.
Travel Leaders Group now claims to account for approximately one-third of all US-based travel agency operations, making it one of the largest travel companies in North America.
Liben said: “We expect growth to be both organic and through acquisition and are working to attract agents and agencies to our business by demonstrating why we’ve been able to grow so dramatically when other agency groups have not. Tina Rose and Barry Whittaker make an unbeatable leadership team with their innate and critical understanding for the intricacies of the marketplace.”
Protravel International and Tzell UK are among the UK’s leading travel companies that employ independent agents and agencies.
Tzell UK is ranked in the top 50 travel management companies in the UK and Ireland. Protravel International UK’s also has high-end corporate customers in addition to a leisure and cruise business.
It is also one of the largest – and sole UK representative – members of luxury travel consortium Virtuoso.
Both are members the Advantage Travel Partnership and have access to its preferential supplier deals through Focus4Fares.