US travel giant Cendant has continued its rapid expansion by acquiring Gullivers Travel Associates and online arm OctopusTravel.com.
The $1.1 billion (563 million) deal comes shortly after the purchase of ebookers for £209 million and the acquisition of Ramada.
Gullivers and Octopus join Cendant’s wide-ranging portfolio which includes Galileo, Travel 2-4, ebookers, Orbitz, Cheaptickets and HotelClub.com.
The deal brings the two companies under Cendant’s Travel Distribution Services (TDS) division.
Gullivers chairman David Babai said: “I have no doubt that the partnership with Cendant will create a new and formidable force in the travel distribution business which will change the face of tourism as we know it.”
Gullivers employs 2,400 staff and operates through more than 30 offices in 28 countries while OctopusTravel.com covers 10 countries offering discounted accommodation at more than 21,400 properties worldwide.
Cendant TDS international markets managing director Gordon Wilson claimed that travel agents would benefit from the “addition of excellent merchant relationships from Gullivers which sells online through both the trade and Octopus.com 25 million room nights a year”.
He added: “Suppliers too will benefit as the combination of TDS and Gullivers will provide a great distribution platform through a choice of channels – wholesale, agency, supplier and consumer – such as Orbitz, ebookers, Cheaptickets, Lodging.com, HotelClub.com, Travel 2 Travel 4, as well as the existing Galileo subscriber network of 44,000 travel agencies.”
Report by Phil Davies
