Travel Management Behemoths Consolidate to Compete in a Digital World
Photo Credit: A business traveler checks a departure board in Frankfurt Airport. Skift / Dan Peltier
Skift Take
The travel management space will probably continue to consolidate, with no real end in sight. That said, even the largest companies will start to lose ground if they can't keep up with rapidly changing traveler expectations.
The corporate travel world is at a unique moment in its growth, as giant legacy travel management companies consolidate in the face of rapidly growing startups.
A major driver behind this consolidation is travel management company BCD Travel, with its aggressive acquisition strategy and growing global presence. The company recognizes its role in the changing travel landscape but sees this growing consolidation as an improvement on what otherwise might be a very fragmented travel market.
In just the past two months, BCD Travel acquired Adelman Travel in North America and gained a majority share in Hitachi Travel in Japan. American Express Global Business Travel, another leading travel management company, has also been buying up smaller businesses. In August, for example, the company announced it had completed its acquisition of German company DER Business Travel.
“BCD Travel is going to continue to use an acquisition strategy for years to come,” said Michael Janssen, chief
