<B>VTS Promotes Fragale</B>
As of the first of this month, VTS Travel Direct has a new president in Patrick Fragale, who has turned his focus on value-added services, client retention and growing the business through possible acquisitions and sales efforts.
Fragale, who joined VTS in early 1998 as executive vice president for VTS Travel Enterprises Inc., where he was responsible for business development and operations, will continue to report to Vince Vitti. Vitti has given up the post of president, but is staying on as chairman and CEO, concentrating on VTS' Internet division, First Internet Travel, and software development.
Fragale, with 25 years of experience in the travel industry, first developed a relationship with VTS as a hotelier. He served as vice president and director of operations for Fairfield, N.J.-based Prime Hospitality Inc., vice president and director of operations for Edison, N.J.-based Inn America Hospitality and general manager of the Renaissance, Sheraton International Crossroads and Marriott hotels.
"With my background in hotel, I believe that by taking care of people and providing quality service, the business will grow. I really feel where the industry needs to go is toward good client services," Fragale said.
That service-oriented mentality is evident in the agency's willingness to service clients in both res center and onsite environments. VTS provides onsite service for 80 percent of its corporate clients. "We are actively pursuing onsites," Fragale said. "It might not be the direction of some of the larger agencies, but we still feel it might be something clients are looking for because it can provide more personalized service."
The New York-based agency, which is 95 percent corporate business, reported air sales of $450 million in 1999 and is anticipating growth for 2000 as a result of sales efforts and possible acquisitions. VTS already has completed the integration of clients and resources following its acquisition of New York-based Direct Travel last summer (BTN, July, 5 1999), and now is offering Direct Travel's technology, including its Direct Link automated booking software. "We decided to take a look at both companies and take the best of both," said Fragale. "We did adapt to some of their policies and we did a lot of integration of back-office support and functionality."
Fragale said the company is interested in further acquisitions of other agencies throughout the country, and also said VTS is working on some new technology, which it will release in 30 to 60 days. "We much prefer to develop software in house. Sometimes it's cost prohibitive, but we feel wherever we can keep it proprietary and not go to a third party it is advantageous," said Fragale. "We know there are a lot of good products out there, but this way you pretty much can control your own destiny.