Mario Bodini is to step down from accommodation wholesaler JacTravel before Christmas after almost 35 years at the helm.
He was instrumental in helping the business develop from a traditional inbound tour operator to an online global wholesaler of hotel accommodation.
Bodini joined JacTravel in 1981 having already set up an outbound tour operation after graduating from university.
He established the inbound tour operation into Europe focused on the Asian and US source markets in 1985.
As managing director of JacTravel, Bodini focused on growing the high-volume inbound groups markets and played a leading role in establishing the company as an online provider of hotel accommodation to retail travel businesses.
He also drove the expansion of JacTravel’s offering outside the UK.
In the role of chief executive, Bodini was actively involved in all aspects of business expansion, especially in new geographic markets, resulting in the doubling of the business between 2009 and 2012.
He became executive vice president the following year, focusing on larger clients, major sales opportunities and key supplier relationships.Bodini agreed to remain with the company to help to develop its business globally, particularly in the Asia and China, following investment by Vitruvian Partners in July 2014.
He has also has taken on wider roles representing the inbound tourism industry, as a director of UKinbound and most recently as chairman of the European Tour Operators Association.
JacTravel chief executive, Terry Williamson, said: “Mario has played an instrumental role in developing JacTravel into the global and successful company it has become today.
“Mario’s commitment to the JacTravel cause and his passion for what we do and how we do it have helped to shape the business over the decades. It is now our job to build upon that legacy.”