Constructing upon InteleTravel’s 30-plus years of expertise and confirmed infrastructure which is approaching $1 billion in gross sales this 12 months, the acquisition permits each firms to execute a brand new technique – pushed by the pattern towards blended journey – to optimize leisure and enterprise journey sources by combining buying and negotiating energy, expertise, and know-how.
Working carefully with InteleTravel President James Ferrara, longtime Hickory President Chris Dane will lead the deal with rising market alternatives and initiatives for systemwide development, together with a model of the brand new Hickory 365 staffing resolution which is able to present leisure success for Hickory members, and a brand new Hickory enterprise journey schooling and certification program for InteleTravel advisors. Hickory will proceed working as its personal model newly powered as a completely owned unit of InteleTravel. Over 100 new jobs are projected to be created over the course of the mixing of the businesses and growth of the brand new packages.
“Merging leisure and company journey companies at a time when journey is booming and the strains for each sectors have gotten extra blurred positions us for larger development and advantages for our members, advisors and most popular suppliers,” mentioned Dane. “We now have a imaginative and prescient for a consortium that leads into the following a long time with a contemporary view of enterprise and leisure vacationers, and benefits, know-how, and provide for our members to fulfill these wants. InteleTravel’s sources and attain will assist us do this.”
The nation’s largest retailer for a lot of main cruise and tour operator/wholesaler trip manufacturers, InteleTravel has developed its personal reserving know-how for all verticals and packaging instruments together with cruises, low cost leisure lodge charges, short-term leases, low-cost air carriers, and actions/leisure. The corporate additionally boasts market-leading product coaching, automated studying programs for advisors, and large-scale occasions. Powered by InteleTravel, Hickory will assist members for his or her leisure demand in a single handy, all-encompassing program, strengthening Hickory with as a lot as 30% extra quantity from members, and a totally new supply of unmanaged enterprise journey gross sales from over 90,000 InteleTravel advisors. That distinctive InteleTravel distribution community in North America, the U.Ok. and shortly within the European Union can even be a supply of leads for Hickory members of bigger managed company account referrals and assembly and occasion enterprise.
Opening a completely new market section for InteleTravel advisors, Hickory will develop InteleTravel advisor’s incomes alternatives with enterprise travel-focused schooling, negotiated journey services and products via Hickory’s air portfolio, most popular lodge and facilities packages, expense administration instruments, and ancillary provider partnerships.
“Enterprise and company journey rebounded quicker than predicted following the pandemic, and the leisure journey market continues to increase into 2023,” mentioned Ferrara. “Nonetheless, the pandemic, new applied sciences and tendencies have modified vacationers, which requires new options.”
Ferrara added, “With the brand new mixing of leisure and enterprise journey, the concept of separate consortia for these markets is now outdated. This merger creates a single supply of benefits and assist for all vacationers and the professionals who serve them – the consortium of the long run.”
About InteleTravel
Established in 1991, InteleTravel is the world’s oldest and largest host journey company with a rising community of greater than 90,000 impartial home-based advisors throughout the U.S., U.Ok., Caribbean, Mexico, and Republic of Eire (as of February 2023). The corporate is acknowledged by each main journey provider, together with each resort and lodge model, cruise line, trip firm, automotive rental company, and tour operator on the earth. Over the course of its 30-plus-year historical past, InteleTravel has change into identified for its management in journey gross sales, strong most popular provider relationships, groundbreaking agent teaching programs, and revolutionary journey know-how. For extra info, go to www.InteleTravel.com.
About Hickory World Companions
Based over 40 years in the past, Hickory World Companions is an industry-leading international alliance for company journey businesses, company journey departments (CTDs) and companies that delivers unparalleled negotiated reductions and commissions, sources, assist, and worth that considerably advantages its members, and in the end, their shoppers. Hickory World Companions bridges the hole between members and suppliers and raises the bar on what being a world company journey alliance is all about. Its visionary lodge program, strong air program, one-of-a form floor transportation program, complete ancillary portfolio and cutting-edge know-how and instruments, make Hickory World Companions an essential strategic accomplice within the company journey {industry}. For extra info, go to www.hickoryglobalpartners.com.