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Travelport enhances Eastern Europe presence
Tuesday, 07 Oct, 2009
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Travelport has acquired its Polish Galileo distribution business, Galileo Polska, for an undisclosed sum.
Previously operated by Galileo Distribution System Ltd, the deal is seen as further endorsement of the company’s ongoing strategy of growing its presence across Eastern Europe.
The acquisition news follows the recent signing of two major Polish travel businesses, Sigma and Air Tours Cracow.
The new Galileo entity is the second, wholly-owned direct operation for Travelport in Poland where it has also been running a direct Worldspan operation for 15 years.
As part of the acquisition, the former Galileo Polska employees will have new roles working for Travelport.
Marcin Pilarski, who was named as Travelport’s head of North Eastern Europe earlier in the year, will lead the newly combined Travelport team from the company’s base in Warsaw.
Trade customers in Poland will continue to have the choice of accessing either the Galileo or Worldspan platform, depending on the needs of their business and their current agreements.
“This acquisition is further evidence of our commitment to the Polish travel trade and further enhances Warsaw as the hub of our Northern European operations,” said Travelport GDS managing director, Eastern Europe Niklas Andréen.
“We are now better placed than ever to support the evolving needs of our customers in this region and will be able to offer our customers the best tools and solutions available from the combined Galileo and Worldspan product portfolio.”
Headed and owned by Pham Van Hien, Galileo Distribution System Ltd also owns and runs Galileo GDS distribution businesses in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. These distribution agreements are unaffected by the acquisition.
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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