JTB Americas in September will acquire 47 percent of Brazil's Grupo Alatur,

enhancing the latter’s ability to make acquisitions, the companies announced. According to Grupo Alatur partner and vice president Ricardo Ferreira, the company expects average annual organic growth of 11.6 percent until 2017. JTB Americas is the U.S. arm of Japan's JTB Group, a century-old firm claiming 25,000 employees in 358 offices, 94 cities and 34 countries. Its 2012 total sales were $12.4 billion, according to JTB. The move does not affect Alatur's relationship with HRG, according to Ferreira.