News

Citibond rescues Emerald TMC after parent company failure

Citibond Travel has stepped in to acquire Emerald TMC, the business travel arm of flight consolidator Emerald Group following its collapse last month.

Emerald TMC provided business travel to corporates and embassies until parent company Emerald Global called in administrators.

The acquisition, for an undisclosed sum, secures the team at Emerald TMC and accelerates family-run Citibond Travel`s international growth.

Managing director Hitesh Mehta said: “I am very excited to have the Emerald TMC Team on board.

“It is a perfect fit to our existing corporate travel team that has been serving the corporate traveller for over 45 years.

“As the world of business travel reopens it will be a very different world and to have the combined experience of our teams will mean all our clients will have the best possible levels of service and advise available to them 24/7.”

Emerald TMC corporate travel manager Caroline Atkinson added: “I and the whole team are delighted to be working with Citibond and Hitesh and his team who are clearly committed to and understanding of the evolving corporate travel market and our clients.”

Joint administrators previously concluded a sale of Emerald Global’s flight consolidation business and the shares in a Malaysian subsidiary to AERTiCKET Emerald UK, a subsidiary of AERTiCKET Conso, the largest independent airline ticket wholesaler in Europe.

Citibond Travel was established in 1974 to provide flights to agents  in London and the Midlands.

The company has since expanded and provides travel products and services to the trade, direct to consumers and business travellers from offices in London and Leicester plus homeworkers.

Emerald Global was founded in 1980 and sold flights on behalf of 75 airlines and ran a flagship store in London’s Baker Street.

Share article

View Comments

Jacobs Media is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.