BCD Travel has acquired Adelman Travel Group, one of the largest full-service travel management companies in North America. The Adelman purchase is the latest in a series of BCD investments to grow business, extend its global network and help businesses leverage the latest innovations for their travel programs.
Based in Milwaukee, Wis., with more than 300 employees, Adelman specializes in corporate travel and expense management, global consolidations, vacations, loyalty rewards travel, meeting and incentive planning, and affinity groups and tours travel. Their portfolio includes clients from the financial services, technology, manufacturing and retail sectors.
“We’re very proud to bring a prominent TMC like Adelman into the BCD Travel family,” said Craig Bailey, BCD Travel’s Americas president. “It fits perfectly with our strategy of growing organically through investments in products and services and through acquisitions of successful companies that share our company values and culture.”
In 2017, Adelman joined the BCD Travel Affiliates, a network of 30 corporate travel agencies with more than 450 locations representing more than $5 billion in annual air spend.
“As a member of the BCD Travel Affiliates program, our customers have reaped some of the global benefits of our partnership with BCD Travel. This acquisition helps Adelman secure a bright future for our loyal customers, dedicated and committed employees and shareholders,” said Andy McGraw, CEO of Adelman Travel Group. Adelman will continue operating under their brand as a wholly owned business unit of BCD Travel.
BCD acquired a majority stake in Japan partner Hitachi Travel Bureau (HTB), in June. A partner since 2011, HTB is one of Japan’s largest corporate travel companies, with 280 employees and annual sales of US$330 million. In 2016, BCD took on majority stakes in China and Hong Kong.
BCD’s other investments include acquisitions of BCD operations in Brazil, Colombia, Dubai, Japan, Poland, Acendas Travel and World Travel Services in the U.S., Nordic travel agency Ticket Biz, global Grass Roots Meetings & Events, U.K.-based international events agency Zibrant, U.S.-based Universal Meetings Management, Inc. and marketing logistics agency Plan 365 Life Sciences and mobile technology company GetGoing.
