USTravel Bulks Up On Bus. Travel

With its acquisition of Business Travel NW late last November, USTravel became the largest regional travel management company in the Pacific Northwest, with more than $200 million in annual sales and 22 locations. The Anchorage, Alaska-headquartered TMC claims $145 million in annual sales from business travel accounts, compared with $60 million from leisure. President and owner Mark Eliason looks to expand USTravel's corporate business through future acquisitions and further diversifying the Doug Fox Travel client base to include small and midmarket accounts.

After Eliason bought BTI's Alaska operations, and the name and logo rights to USTravel in 1997, he acquired more than 10 regional companies, including Doug Fox Travel and BTI's Washington State and Idaho operations. USTravel is a BCD Travel affiliate.