Alex Zozaya, who will be the new CEO when Apple Leisure Group and The Mark Travel Corporation officially combine companies, issued an exclusive statement to Travel Agent Friday afternoon about the impact the consolidation will have on travel agents.
“We have been focused on growing our distribution companies so they can support the growth of our other business units, so it made perfect sense to combine Apple Leisure Group and Mark Travel," Zozaya told Travel Agent. "Together we will be able to offer a wider array of products and services for our travel agent, airline, hotel and other travel industry partners."
On Monday, Apple Leisure Group and The Mark Travel Corporation announced that both companies had signed a definitive agreement “to create an integrated leisure travel and technology solutions company,” according to a news release by both companies. Financial terms of the private transaction were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2018, and is subject to customary regulatory approvals.
“For travel agents, this strategic combination will result in greater breadth of product as well as enhanced value for their clients," says Zozaya. "On the technology side, we’ll be working toward a unified platform with the ultimate goal of increasing travel agent productivity and helping our agent partners better serve their clients in an increasingly competitive marketplace.”
The combined company will continue to operate the collection of brands offered by Apple Leisure Group, Mark Travel and Trisept Solutions, and maintain principal executive offices in Newtown Square, PA, and Milwaukee, WI. Mark Travel’s tour businesses will also gain access to 52 high-end resorts and spas operating under the Zoetry, Secrets, Dreams, Breathless, Now and Sunscape brands, which are all popular in the Caribbean and Mexico.
Apple Leisure Group includes major Caribbean and Mexico operators, Apple Vacations, Cheap Caribbean and Travel Impressions. In Mexico, Travel Impressions represents 270 hotels and resorts, 259 luxury villas and 68 tours. Travel Impressions also includes roughly 30 Caribbean islands and more than 200 Caribbean hotels in its portfolio.
Vacation brands managed by Mark Travel include Blue Sky Tours, My Destination Wellness, Fun Jet Vacations, Mark International, Southwest Vacations and United Vacations.
Visit www.appleleisuregroup.com and www.marktravel.com. Keep visiting www.travelagentcentral.com for all your latest travel news. Be sure to follow Travel Agent’s Joe Pike on Twitter @TravelPike and Instagram @pike5260.
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