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Carlson Wagonlit reports record year
Carlson Wagonlit Travel grew UK turnover by 6% to a record £1.19bn in 2011.
This was despite UK transactions dropping by 1.9% from the previous year, due to public sector downtrading.
"CWT UK’s great performance in 2011 makes it a record year, surpassing 2008 levels, which were the strongest in business travel records," said Patrick Anderson, executive vice president, UK & Ireland, Nordics and Eastern Europe.
"2012 has its own set of challenges for the industry and things are still fragile, however we are encouraged by trading in the first few months that business travel continues to be a bellwether of gradual economic improvement."
Internationally, CWT also announced a record performance, with 2011 sales volume up by 15.2% to US$28 billion.
The number of transactions managed by CWT increased by 7.2% year on year to reach 61.9 million.
CWT said this was down to the retention of over 96% of its existing client-base, new business worth $2.2 billion and the acquisition of three companies – Kaleva Travel, Centenial Group and Net Tours.
"We are seeing strong growth across the industry, despite the unpredictable economic environment," said Douglas Anderson CWT president and CEO.
"Global corporations are more optimistic about their travel spend going forward and certain areas of the world, such as Asia and Latin America, continue to show strong growth."
By Bev Fearis
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Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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