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American Express Business Travel and Barceló Business Travel, a Barceló Group company specializing in business travel, announced agreement to come together in a joint venture. Customers will benefit from access to American Express global product, knowledge and network and Barceló Business Travel’s local network and expertise. The new joint venture came into affect at the beginning of 2008 launching a new identity with presence from both companies.
Charles Petruccelli, President, American Express Global Travel Services, commented on the agreement, “Partnership is a key part of our global growth strategy for American Express Business Travel and we already have a successful track record in operating joint venture partnerships in Italy, China and Japan. By teaming with strong joint venture partners we are able to grow in key markets around the world and strengthen our value proposition. Additionally, we continue to invest in servicing, innovation and talent to deliver superior global service standards and expertise with local insight to our clients.”
Simón Pedro Barceló, co-president of the Barceló Group, commented “This is a very important day for business travel. Two big companies have decided to join forces and work together, and now offer their clients the best. It’s an honour for the Barceló Group to share business travel with American Express”.
The new joint venture will bring together a workforce of over 450 business travel professionals in the company’s network of offices across Spain. The expertise and experience these two companies bring to bear in the market will enable them to offer a specialized service to corporate customers regardless of size or needs. The new joint venture will initially be servicing a portfolio of over 400 customers.
According to Ángel G. Butragueño, managing director of American Express Business Travel, “This partnership is about combining our two talented organizations to deliver increased service and capabilities to our joint customer base.”
Antonio Cursach, managing director of Barceló Business Travel, highlights that “The combination of resources and expertise delivers value to our current and potential customers. Merging the two businesses enables us to offer solutions that currently do not exist in the market by drawing on the global influence and capabilities of American Express together with the capillarity and flexibility of Barceló Business Travel.”
Barceló Viajes, the consumer travel branch of the Grupo Barceló travel division, will continue to run independently from this new entity, albeit strengthened by the synergies in areas such as contracting and structure resulting from the agreement.
The agreement was signed on December 21st. Ángel García Butragueño, General Manager of American Express Business Travel for Spain, and Antonio Cursach, General Manager of Barceló Business Travel attended the signature ceremony.
More information on the new entity and its strategy in the Spanish market will be available in the first months of 2008.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
