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Flight Centre expands to five new European countries

Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Germany – are you ready for a little Flight Centre action?

Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Germany – are you ready for a little Flight Centre action?

 

 

The Travel Group this week announced a new deal with online travel agency, eDream ODIGEO, to purchase its corporate travel business, Travellink, securing the company’s presence in five new countries (mentioned above) and strengthening its European operations.

According to Managing Director, Graham Turner, the purchase is aligned with the company’s growth strategy in corporate travel, which started in Europe with its expansion in Ireland then again in May this year in the Netherlands.

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“Corporate travel is one of our six key growth sectors for the medium to long-term.”

Graham Turner, Flight Centre Travel Group Managing Director

“We are already one of the world’s largest corporate travel managers – turnover exceeded AU$6 billion during the 2016 fiscal year – but we see strong future prospects within the sector and are expanding internationally both organically and via strategic acquisitions.”

Turner continued, saying while the new purchase is “relatively small”, it is profitable and gives the company presence in five key corporate travel markets – Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Germany.

“By having company-owned businesses in these important markets, we also gain greater control over the service offering we deliver to local, national and multi-national clients.”

Graham Turner, Flight Centre Travel Group Managing Director

As part of the acquisition, Flight Centre has also secured a proprietary online booking tool, which can potentially be rolled out within the SME-focused Corporate Traveller and Flight Centre Business Travel brands elsewhere in Europe.

eDreams ODIGEO’s current Managing Director, Bodil Mansson, will continue to run the business and will report to Steve Norris, Flight Centre Travel Group’s Corporate Travel Leader in Europe and Africa.

Earlier this financial year, Flight Centre Travel Group had also acquired corporate businesses in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Mexico.

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