CTS TO MERGE WITH e-TRAVCO
Published: 18 Jul 2004
Creates one of the largest travel groups in the U.S. with a strong presence on the West Coast
STATE COLLEGE, PA, July 19, 2004—Cruise and Travel Stores (CTS), a national consortium with 530 member agencies headquartered in Scotts Valley, California, announced that it has merged with e-Travco Inc., based here, to create one of the largest travel groups in the United States representing more than 1,400 travel agencies, one-third of whom are located on the West Coast.
Under terms of the agreement, CTS will maintain its headquarters in Scotts Valley as e-Travco/CTS. Founder and president of CTS Jack Bell will remain as a consultant to e-Travco, assisting in the integration of both organizations. Tricia Brackett will continue in her present role as CTS’ director of operations reporting to Mike Caplin, who was named Vice President of e-Travco’s Western Division with offices in Benicia, California. Caplin was previously e-Travco’s Director of West Coast operations.
CTS founder and president Jack Bell said, "The timing was excellent for CTS to merge with e-Travco. Our organizations share similar values and we intend to continue building on those strengths.”
“Those strengths,” said e-Travco’s chairman and founder D. Brent Pasquinelli, “focus on helping travel agents generate new customers and expand relationships locally, within a community through innovative online products and traditional high-margin preferred supplier programs developed by agents for agents.”
Caplin added that “we are committed to creating a culture for the new organization that sustains the high level of performance both companies have enjoyed. We will continue to provide the personalized service and attention necessary to help agents and suppliers succeed.”
Norman Cotton, president of e-Travco said “that the combination of e-Travco and CTS will have a dramatic impact on our cruise and tour business.
CTS, founded in 1982 as Bell Travel System, is a national consortium consisting of 530 independently owned travel agencies in more than 30 states including about 200 members on the West Coast.
Founded in 2000, e-Travco is the leading value network for travel agents and suppliers. e-Travco currently represents 100 name-brand suppliers and more than 1,400 travel agencies, nationwide, with more than $3 billion in travel buying power. Earlier this year e-Travco acquired AustinCoast, now a division of e-Travco. The e-Travco/AustinCoast value network includes members of the following travel groups: Austin Associates, Coast Travel Group, Travel Design, FiveStar Travel Association, Riverside Travel Group, e-Travco and ABC Corporate Services.
For travel agencies, e-Travco provides the online tools, name-brand preferred suppliers and services they need to generate new customers and expand existing relationships locally, within a community. e-Travco’s product suite is designed to connect agents, suppliers and customers in a tightly-knit system that is easy to learn and use.
For suppliers, e-Travco member agencies represent an active, well-educated audience that have a high discretionary income, love to travel, and most important, prefer to order their travel through a travel agent. e-Travco’s attractive demographics, and proven online and offline system of marketing to agents and their customers make for an ideal environment to increase bookings, sales and market share; build brand loyalty and product awareness; and facilitate communications between members and their customers.
e-Travco Inc., 2171 Sandy Drive, 110, State College, PA 16803 Tel. 814-238-2860
www.e-travco.com
CTS, 5435 Scotts Valley Drive, Scotts Valley, CA 95066 Tel. 800-777-1677
www.cruiseandtravelstores.com
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