TOP 10
FOREIGN AIRPORTS BY
NUMBER OF PASSENGERS, 2006*
Airport Passengers
London (Heathrow) 67.5M
Tokyo (Haneda) 65.2M
Paris (de Gaulle) 56.8M
Frankfurt 52.8M
Beijing 48.5M
Amsterdam 46.1M
Madrid 45.5M
Hong Kong 44M
Bangkok 42.8M
Singapore 35M
* Totals for some airports include projections,
estimates or incomplete data
Source: Airports Council International
customer review process to include past performances and future strategic objectives.
• Expand global resources through an additional
position, director of global accounts, to facilitate
and assist Global Account Manager team with
implementation of global objectives.
• Evaluate further expansion through sales and
acquisitions in strategic markets.
• Implement new Web site and customer portal
solutions in second quarter 2007.
27 (tie)
VALERIE WILSON TRAVEL
2006 Sales: $320 million
Employees: 350
Previous Ranking: 28
475 Park Ave. S.
New York, NY 10016
T (212) 532-3400
F (212) 779-7073
www.vwti.com or www.valeriewilsontravel.com
Some agencies get large on leisure
While Power List agencies are
typically corporate heavy-hit-ters, a dozen or so of the top
agencies reported selling more
leisure than business travel.
Others may have done so but did not break
down those figures in the Power List survey
responses.
Many of the Power List’s biggest leisure
agencies are Internet sellers: Expedia (No.
3), Travelocity (No. 6), Orbitz (No. 7) and
Priceline (No. 9). Others are agencies that
have simply opted to concentrate on selling
vacations. Other leisure agencies operate in
a niche market: For example, STA Travel, No.
12, specializes in the student market; AAA,
at No. 8, is an association of independent
clubs .
“We have chosen to focus on the frequent
leisure traveler as our core market,” said Tom
Rusin, president and CEO, North America of
Travelers Advantage, No. 19 on the Power
List. “What we have been seeing for the past
25 years is that consumers want comfort,
and our travel club solution gives them the
comfort of putting their money with a financial institution.”
Travelers Advantage is a subsidiary of Affinion, a company that offers membership and
loyalty programs in many industries. Consumers pay an average annual fee of $119
to join Travelers Advantage. “Our business
model is to save a typical member the annual fee in one vacation,” Rusin said.
Travelers Advantage does get requests
to handle corporate customers, but rather
than branch out to corporate business, said
Rusin, the company is seeking to build “
underserved” leisure markets like the Hispanic
market.
Rusin said travelers will always want a hu-
man element. “I look at the advertising from
Expedia and Travelocity, and they push the
fact that there is a human element. You see
their ads featuring travelers with a problem
who call. We tell people you can call before
there is a problem.”
A number of corporate agencies, meanwhile, continue to look for ways to expand
their leisure offerings.
For example, Altour, No. 20 on the Power
List, is launching AltourFrance.com and AltourFamily.com and will be expanding a consumer travel show program.
At the Travel Authority, No. 30, the agency’s
Enhanced Employee Travel Club is a program available to corporate clients and their
employees for assistance with leisure travel.
Participants receive discounts that are available to the Travel Authority as well as American Express affiliates.
The following are Power List agencies that
reported or are believed to be selling more
leisure than business:
Expedia, No. 3 on the Power List
Travelocity, No. 6
Orbitz Worldwide, No. 7
AAA, No. 8
Priceline, No. 9
Liberty Travel, N0. 10
STA Travel, No. 12
Carlson Leisure, No. 14
World Travel Holdings, No. 16
Travelers Advantage, No. 19
YTB, No. 35
Morris Murdock, No. 46
Americas Vacation Center, No. 52
Global Travel International, No. 52
— Harvey Chipkin
Executives
CHAIRMAN/CEO: Valerie Ann Wilson
CO-PRESIDENT: Jennifer Wilson-Buttigieg
CO-PRESIDENT: Kimberly Wilson Wetty
2006 Developments
•• ARC sales of $137 million.
$128 million in sales fulfilled by agency for
third parties.
•$192 million in sales from hosted outside
agents.
27
• 55% of sales from business, 40% from leisure,
5% meetings and incentives.
• Celebrated 25 years in business, marked with
major events as well as a yearlong marketing program that included a commemorative journal, cobranded direct-mail campaigns and advertising.
• Added First Coast Travel to office in Ponte Ve-dra, Fla.
• Added new associate agents (both home-based
and in office locations).
• Added a Virtuoso Marketing Day in New York
headquarters to train and strengthen the brand
with agents.
• Held first Cruise Vendor Day in New York office as well as the fifth Consumer Travel Fest in
Hilton Head, S.C.
• Added online tools for client use; modified
consumer Web site to enable clientele to book
directly with Valerie Wilson Travel.
Company Facts
• Owns VWT Meetings & Incentives (annual
sales of $16 million).
• Member of Virtuoso, ABC Corporate Services,
Hickory Travel Systems.
•• 18 locations in the U.S.
170 outside travel sellers.
• Privately held.
Looking Ahead
• Plans additional mergers and acquisitions.
• Seeking to add associate agents, new offices,
corporate accounts.
27 (tie)
DIRECTRAVEL
2006 Sales: $320 million
Employees: 380
Previous Ranking: 29 (as VTS Travel Enter-
prises)
150 E. 52nd St.
New York, NY 10022
T (212) 267-5500
F (212) 644-0615
www.dt.com
Executives
CHAIRMAN/OWNER: Vincent Vitti
VICE CHAIRMAN Edward Vitti
PRESIDENT: Patrick Fragale
2006 Developments
• ARC sales of $188.7 million.
• 5% of sales from hosting outside agents.
• 70% of sales from business, 10% from leisure,
20% other.
