The Stella buy-out of Global may provide Advantage with an opportunity to renegotiate deals with suppliers.
Some operators will be nervous that the deal will mean Stella companies, such as Travel 2/4 and Travelbag, will be pushed through Global at their expense.
Companies such as Gold Medal, a rival to Travel 2/4, are weighing up what the deal means for them, and may have to rely more heavily on other independent groups.
Advantage managing director John McEwan said: “We’ll be having a look at everything and holding meetings with companies.
“We’re certainly not going to do anything which is going to hurt us. But Advantage is already the largest seller of Gold Medal, for example, in the UK.”
McEwan said he felt that the new Stella group would continue to need lots of third party suppliers.
“Really, I don’t think in-house products can account for more than about 25% of your bookings. There needs to be a blend.”
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by Jeremy Skidmore
