BCD Travel Announces Major Network Expansion

Global travel company now present in 96 countries

Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 8 May 2006 – BCD Travel has reached another key milestone in its rapid rise to prominence in the global corporate travel management sector. The company, formed in January 2006 following the merger of WorldTravel BTI, TQ3 Travel Solutions Management Holding GmbH and The Travel Company under a single ownership and management structure, today announced that its global network is operating in 96 countries.

That network, featuring ownership in key markets and solid presence in emerging markets, is noteworthy for both its comprehensiveness and the speed with which it was formed, just six weeks after BCD Travel’s official brand debut on 14 March. The network includes a majority of legacy partners eager to continue longstanding relationships under the BCD Travel brand, as well as new partners whose local strengths made them an obvious choice for a network focused on best-in-class service.

BCD Travel simplifies and streamlines the corporate travel process, helping companies manage and control the movement of their people, information and resources. The company focuses on implementing an integrated, seamless technology platform throughout all global locations to provide full access to and analysis of travel data for these clients. Clients can take advantage of BCD Travel’s presence and technology infrastructure to track every trip, every traveler, and the costs incurred throughout every journey.

“To speak of the increasing globalization of today’s marketplace is to repeat what has become commonplace. But the ability to provide real, workable solutions to the companies operating in that marketplace is far less common – and that is precisely what BCD Travel does,” said Mike Buckman, CEO of BCD Travel. “Our expansion means we are now better positioned than ever before to deliver our travel solutions to national and multinational customers in every established and emerging market around the world.”

In two of these crucial emerging markets, Russia and China, BCD Travel has extended its relationship with exclusive representatives. JSC Aeroclub, BCD Travel’s partner in Russia, will also guide the company’s presence in ten countries in the CIS and Baltic states. In the expanding Chinese market, BCD Travel is poised to provide top quality service through its partnership with Jebsen Travel. Paul Zimmerman, Executive Director of Jebsen Travel, said, “BCD Travel shares our philosophy for growth and success in the region. We will continue to service our existing clients with every attention to detail and will work together to foster new business development growth and enhance our overall service offering.”

The Asia Pacific region boasts some of the fastest growing economies in the world. BCD Travel’s strong Asia Pacific presence, anchored by partners in Japan, Australia and New Zealand, responds both to the challenges of the region’s development and to customers’ increasingly complex corporate travel programs.

BCD Travel is represented in Japan by Toptour Corporation, one of the country’s top five corporate travel specialists, giving the company extensive representation and coverage. New partners in Australia (Sydney Express) and New Zealand (Williment Travel) have also been signed, demonstrating its insistence on finding best-in-class service providers. “Companies expecting and needing global coverage should take note that this round of network expansion brings us from Argentina to Yemen. The message is we will be wherever our clients need us to be – so you may be sure that when the request comes, we will have our team of Network experts on the case,” Buckman added.