2015-11-27 Press release_BCD Travel acquires Ticket Biz_FINAL

BCD Travel acquires Ticket Biz

Move strengthens BCD’s Nordic presence as part of ongoing growth strategy

UTRECHT, Netherlands, Dec. 2, 2015 – BCD Travel today announced it has acquired Sweden- and Norway-based corporate travel management company Ticket Biz.

“With their solid reputation and focus on mid-market corporate customers, Ticket Biz complements our culture and growth goals very well,” said Stewart Harvey, BCD Travel’s president of Europe, Middle East and Africa. “This acquisition reflects our ongoing pursuit of growth opportunities that benefit our clients by strengthening our position as a leader in corporate travel.”

Ticket Biz is a strong regional player in the Nordic markets, with approximately 150 employees managing corporate travel and meetings & events, a diverse portfolio of clients and annual sales of just under €180 million. Ticket Biz’s previous owner, Braganza, a Swedish holding company with activities in leisure travel, amusement parks and airlines, will remain a minority stakeholder after the acquisition.

“We’re very excited by the opportunities that BCD Travel creates for Ticket Biz to grow stronger in the Nordic region, and look forward to working together,” said Per G. Braathen, owner of Braganza. “This move will allow Ticket Biz to continue to thrive, producing value for our customers, shareholders and our staff—who will have greater exposure to how a global company operates and more paths for long-term growth.”

The Ticket Biz purchase is the latest in a series of investments BCD Travel has made in recent years to grow business, extend its global network and help businesses leverage the latest innovations for their travel programs.

Other significant BCD investments include the purchase of Tbiz from Travelocity, development of substantial proprietary platforms in business intelligence (DecisionSource®) and mobile technology (TripSource®), establishment of a new joint venture in Brazil and the acquisitions of U.S.-based World Travel Services, Inc. and Universal Meeting Management.

Ticket Biz will continue operating under their brand as a business unit of BCD Travel.

About Ticket Biz

Ticket Biz is a Travel Management company that delivers comprehensive travel and travel management services to Nordic companies and organizations. We use our expertise to help companies with smart and cost effective solutions for meetings and travel related services. Ticket Biz sales are approximately SEK 1.7 billion annually and the company has about 150 employees. Ticket Biz is currently represented in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark and is headquartered in Stockholm. For more information, visit www.ticketbiz.se.