Business Travel International has reduced its worldwide ownership to just two shareholders, which could merge into a single entity in the near future. The latest consolidation of the global travel management network took place this morning when managing partner Hogg Robinson bought BTI Central Europe from Swiss travel company Kuoni. The deal gives Hogg Robinson direct control of BTI's operations in Austria, Germany, Hungary, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.
Kuoni also held an 8 percent stake in the worldwide BTI organization, while Hogg Robinson of the United Kingdom and Dutch-owned BCD Holdings, which owns WorldTravel BTI in the United States, controlled 46 percent each. In spite of Hogg Robinson buying out Kuoni, it and BCD have restructured their shareholding in BTI as equal partners.
BTI CEO David Radcliffe, who is also CEO of Hogg Robinson, hinted that ultimate consolidation of ownership into one entity was in the cards. "We always said it would make sense to bring BTI together," he said. "I wouldn't preclude that from being a logical end point."
This is the second major European deal in 10 days. Last week, TQ3 Travel Solutions lost its French licensee Protravel to Carlson Wagonlit Travel
(BTNonline, Dec. 1).