Direct Travel, a prominent travel management company based in Colorado, has announced its acquisition of the British travel firm ATPI, marking a significant expansion of its global footprint. This strategic move, revealed on Monday, aims to enhance the companies’ combined annual travel volume, which is expected to exceed $6 billion across corporate, leisure, and specialized travel sectors.
With nearly 50 years of experience, Direct Travel operates primarily in the United States and Canada, focusing on corporate travel, which constitutes about two-thirds of its business. In contrast, ATPI has established itself as a leader in the international travel management sector, boasting a presence in more than 90 countries. The company’s expertise lies largely in specialty markets, including oil, mining, and energy, alongside its offerings in event management.
According to Direct Travel CEO Christal Bemont, the two companies have a strong history of collaboration, having supported over 100 customers jointly. “We’re very much aligned on caring for customers,” Bemont stated, noting that the merger will enhance the overall customer experience by eliminating the operational challenges posed by their previous separate statuses.
The integration of ATPI into Direct Travel is anticipated to yield a more seamless service delivery. “Bringing our two organizations together will enable us to better serve clients collectively, through the combination of our specialized services, innovative technologies, and highly skilled customer teams,” said ATPI CEO Ian Sinderson in a statement. Following the merger, the newly formed company will continue to operate under the name Direct Travel and ATPI, with Bemont remaining as CEO and Sinderson taking on a leadership role as president of various groups within the organization.
The merger will create a workforce of approximately 4,400 employees, with both leaders confident that the companies will complement each other without significant overlap. Bemont emphasized that the synergies between the two organizations will foster growth and enhance service offerings, rather than duplicating existing capabilities.
Bemont, who joined Direct Travel in April 2024, has been focused on integrating advanced technology to enhance customer service. She highlighted the challenges faced by many travel management firms in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, stating that the industry has suffered from layoffs and a lag in technological advancements. While business travel is showing signs of recovery, with the Global Business Travel Association forecasting a total of $1.57 trillion in global business travel by 2025, the sector remains affected by various external pressures, including tariff tensions and policy uncertainties.
In Colorado alone, the business travel sector supported approximately 98,541 jobs and generated $5.5 billion in total wages and income in 2022, according to data from the Global Business Travel Association. As Direct Travel and ATPI merge, they aim to position themselves at the forefront of this recovering market, leveraging their combined strengths to better serve a diverse clientele.
Through this acquisition, Direct Travel not only expands its operational capacity but also enhances its service offerings, promising a more robust and innovative approach to travel management. The combination of expertise from both companies is expected to create a more dynamic player in the global travel management landscape, ready to tackle the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
