BCD Travel has taken full ownership of its travel management operations in Brazil from join venture partner Antonio Fernando Slomp. The announcement comes three years after BCD assumed majority ownership in its Brazil partner.
“Our additional investment strengthens our strong presence in a market where our clients need to be, and it allows us to enhance our product and service offerings in Brazil and grow our business in a key emerging market,” said Mike Janssen, BCD’s president of the Americas region.
BCD had already upgraded the telephony infrastructure, instituted new workflow management processes, implemented a world-class back-office system and improved training and development for the 300-employee operation. The company will continue to invest in technology and solutions that enhance service, improve data and offer other benefits for clients in Brazil.
“We have enjoyed many years of cooperation with BCD Travel as a partner and shareholder, and we welcome this change,” said Slomp.
The investment is the latest in a series of aggressive expansion moves BCD has made over the last several years. Other acquisitions include an increased stake in Minnesota-based Ascendas Travel; full ownership of Nordic travel agency Ticket Biz; acquisition of international events agency Zibrant, marketing logistics agency Plan 365 Life Sciences, mobile technology company GetGoing and travel agency World Travel Services; majority stakes in agencies in Hong Kong and China; and an ownership stake in BCD’s Dubai agency.
