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Travelsoft Strengthens Its Position as Orchestra Acquires Afidium

September 9, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

Travelsoft a annoncé, le 30 juillet 2026, l’acquisition d’Afidium par Orchestra - Photo : Orchestra

Hurtigruten

Travelsoft continues to develop its technology ecosystem.

The group announced, on July 30, 2026, the acquisition of Afidium by Orchestra, its French subsidiary specialized in the distribution and booking of travel. An operation that aims in particular to strengthen the complementarities between the solutions of the two companies.

Founded in 2005 by David Faveur and Patrick Rajaud, Afidium is a French company specialized in software for tourism professionals.

Its solutions cover several steps of the value chain, including tools for optimizing air fares, quality control of PNRs, quotation management and booking services across multiple sources.

The company also offers solutions dedicated to operations research, customer communication, management of air inventories as well as the booking of flights, accommodations and other services.

Des expertises complémentaires

For Travelsoft, this acquisition rests mainly on the complementarity between Orchestra’s distribution and booking platform and Afidium’s expertise in automation, interoperability and PNR management.

The integration should enable the two companies to accelerate the development of their products and broaden the features offered to their clients. Orchestra’s customers will notably gain access to additional tools dedicated to air optimization and process automation.

For Afidium’s clients, they should benefit from increased development capacity as well as integration within a larger technological ecosystem.

“Afidium is a natural fit for Orchestra and Travelsoft. This combination will accelerate innovation and offer solutions spanning a broader scope to our clients“, said Christian Sabbagh, founder and CEO of Travelsoft.

Une continuité assurée pour Afidium

The acquisition should not entail any immediate changes in Afidium’s governance. David Faveur and Patrick Rajaud, the company’s co-founders, will continue to lead the firm to ensure continuity of operations and relations with clients.

Afidium’s teams will also remain engaged with their current clients, while being able to rely on the resources of Orchestra and Travelsoft. “Joining Travelsoft allows us to develop our products at a larger scale, while maintaining the quality, expertise and responsiveness that our clients expect“, stated Afidium’s two co-founders.

The two companies now plan to progressively develop synergies between their products and to implement joint roadmaps for innovation. Travelsoft says it intends to prioritize developments likely to bring tangible benefits to tourism professionals.

Published by Amelia Brille TourMaG.com Editor
View all articles by Amelia Brille

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WeTravel Acquires Tourwriter to Strengthen Its Bespoke Travel Offering

September 7, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

WeTravel annonce l’acquisition de Tourwriter - Depositphotos.com @pressmaster

Hurtigruten

WeTravel continues to develop in the high-end multi-day travel segment.

The American company announced, Wednesday, September 2, 2026, the acquisition of Tourwriter, a New Zealand-based company specializing in software for designers of customized travel and for incoming agencies (DMC).

The financial terms of the operation were not disclosed. This marks WeTravel’s first acquisition since its $92 million Series C funding in 2025, raised notably from Sapphire Ventures, Left Lane, Base10 and Cross Creek.

With this deal, WeTravel aims to strengthen its presence in the most complex and valued segment of the travel experiences market, which the company estimates at $271 billion.

Two complementary areas of expertise in bespoke travel

Founded in 2003, Tourwriter brings 23 years of expertise in developing software for professionals in the bespoke travel sector. Its platform today supports operators specializing in personalized experiences in 35 countries.

The company has notably developed features dedicated to itinerary creation, supplier management and their pricing, price and margin calculations, commissions, bookings, invoicing, accounting and data analytics.

According to WeTravel, Tourwriter generated more than one billion dollars of itinerary sales over the last two years.

On its side, WeTravel counts more than 10 000 travel businesses and more than 8 000 partners using its platform worldwide. Its system covers notably itinerary creation, online booking, task management, multi-currency payments, deposits and payment schedules, as well as the management and payment of suppliers.

The company has also recently launched WeTravel virtual and physical cards, available in more than 40 countries.

Growing demand for personalized travel

The acquisition comes as WeTravel observes a rise in demand for bespoke and luxury travel.

According to its Annual Trends Report 2026, based on more than one million bookings made on its platform and responses from thousands of professionals, 56% of operators consulted noted increased interest in high-end personalized travel bookings in 2025, compared with the previous year.

WeTravel’s booking data also show an acceleration in 2026. In the first half, bookings by organizers specializing in bespoke and luxury travel rose 16% year over year, while their dollar volume grew by 31%.

This growth, however, comes with increasing operational complexity. Each trip is built individually, meaning professionals must simultaneously manage supplier pricing, currencies, commissions, taxes, deposits and settlements with multiple providers.

Part of these operations still relies on a combination of specialized software, spreadsheets and banking tools, with manual re-entries between the different steps.

Platforms that will remain separate

In the initial phase, Tourwriter and WeTravel will continue to operate as two distinct platforms. WeTravel plans, however, to invest in the development of the Tourwriter product, notably by providing its international payment infrastructure and its AI tools.

“We are thrilled to partner with Glenn and invest in the Tourwriter platform“, explains Ted Clements, CEO of WeTravel. The stated objective is to progressively integrate international payment solutions and the AI tools developed by WeTravel.

For Glenn Campbell, CEO and cofounder of Tourwriter, this operation opens “a new chapter” for the company, while maintaining its goal of helping luxury travel professionals improve profitability and client service.

No immediate changes for Tourwriter clients

WeTravel notes that current Tourwriter clients will keep the same product, the same teams, the same pricing and the same support.

In the coming months, they should progressively gain access to new international payment services and AI features developed by WeTravel.

Glenn Campbell will continue to lead Tourwriter. The team, consisting of about 30 employees spread across New Zealand, London and other regions worldwide, will join WeTravel’s international organization, which counts over 400 employees and has offices in Australia, Azerbaijan, the Netherlands, and the United States.

The Telegramme Group Acquires the 4-Star Le Grand Bé Hotel in Saint-Malo

September 4, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

TAP Air Portugal

The Groupe Télégramme is accelerating its territorial growth strategy by investing in high-end hospitality.

On Friday, July 10, 2026, the group formalized the acquisition of the Grand Bé hotel, a 4-star establishment of reference located within the city walls in Saint-Malo, in close proximity to the future National Maritime Museum.

This operation marks a key milestone for the company, which intends to rely on its local roots and its multiple areas of expertise to consolidate the attractiveness of this major Saint-Malo address.

Ideally designed to appeal to both tourist and professional clientele, the property features a bar, a rooftop, dining spaces as well as a wellness area with a spa.

For business tourism, the hotel also offers facilities dedicated to seminars, meetings and corporate events.

As part of this overall business turnaround, the group integrates a industry-recognized professional with over twenty years of experience, Marc Scognamiglio, who will oversee the property’s future alongside the teams already in place.

Strong local and event-driven synergies on the horizon

Integrating the Grand Bé into Groupe Télégramme will generate clear complementarities with the acquiror’s historical lines of business, notably in the sectors of media, communications and events.

The group plans to capitalize on its deep knowledge of the region and on its network of partners to develop the professional seminars segment, maximize opportunities around business tourism and enrich the overall customer experience.

This ambition is directly shared by Régis Rassouli, Deputy CEO for Development of Groupe Télégramme: “Le Grand Bé is a renowned address for the quality of its welcome, its exceptional location and the commitment of its teams. Our ambition is to continue its development in the respect of its identity, by relying on the Group’s expertise to strengthen its attractiveness and support its evolution. ”

To support this modernization, a investment plan will begin by the end of 2026 and span 2027.

The budget envelopes will be primarily allocated to the complete renovation of the wellness space, to specific interior fittings and to the redesign of the decoration, while ensuring the venue’s historic assets are preserved.

According to Jean-Baptiste Pavin, CEO of Groupe Télégramme, “Le Grand Bé is an emblematic establishment that benefits from a history, an identity and a recognized know-how. Its acquisition illustrates our commitment to invest sustainably in value-creating projects that are useful to the territories.

Whether it is informing, supporting businesses or organizing major events, our ambition remains the same: to create connections, to deliver high-quality experiences and to contribute to the radiance of the territories in which we are involved. ”

Sainte-Claire Group Acquires Eden Tour

August 7, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

Yvon Peltanche fondateur d'Eden Tour avait annoncé à ses équipes avoir reçu plusieurs marques d'intérêt fin 2025 - Photo CE

CroisiEurope

Eden Tour passes under the umbrella of the Sainte-Claire group.

Rumors of the sale of the network led and created by Yvon Peltanche have circulated since 2024. The 66-year-old executive who wished to hand over the reins did not hide, at the end of 2025 during the latest internal seminar, that he had received several “marks of interest”.

If several names circulated, it was ultimately the Sainte-Claire group that won the bid, on July 17 last. Yvon Peltanche will remain for three more years to accompany the company’s transition.

The Selectour member network weighs €65 million in business volume in 2025 (€42.6 million in 2024), for a turnover of €6.7 million (€5.5 million in 2024).

The Sainte-Claire Group Reaches the 100 Travel Agencies Milestone

26 agencies with the acquisition of Aven Tour in July 2025 constitute the network’s footprint. The company is also organized around a production hub – encompassing Azores Voyages, Faroe Voyages and Eden in France – and is broken down into several specialized segments: Eden Groups (group travel), Eden School (school trips), Eden Affairs (ticketing) and Eden Business (seminars and incentives).

On its side, the Sainte-Claire Group led by Eric Kuo counts on the mainland nearly 70 travel agencies bearing various brands such as TUI, Selectour, Havas Voyages, Navitour and Aquatour.

In the overseas territories, the group is also present in Réunion, Guyana, Martinique and Guadeloupe with close to thirty points of sale, including a business hub.

With this acquisition, Sainte-Claire thus surpasses the 100-agency mark and strengthens its presence significantly in the western part of France.

As a reminder, in June 2024, the Sainte-Claire group had acquired Penchard Voyages (four points of sale in Guadeloupe).

S4BT (CDS Group) Acquires HotelHub

July 18, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

Ziad Minkara, fondateur et PDG du groupe S4BT et Jay Virdee, PDG d'HotelHub - Photo : S4BT

IFTM TourMaG Party

The S4BT Group, a specialist in business travel, has just acquired Travel Centric Technology, the London-based parent company of HotelHub, a hotel technology platform serving international corporate travel agencies.

This supplier is “specialized in consolidating fragmented hotel content from centralized distribution systems (GDS) and non-GDS sources within a single operating environment,” S4BT said in a press release.

“Its platform is integrated into the workflows of major international corporate travel agencies and handles complex and high-volume hotel transactions.”

With this acquisition, the Group now represents eight brands specializing in business travel: CDS, Goelett, Corporate Rates Club (CRC), TMS, SIAP, Methodica, Trevium and HotelHub and offers a business hotel service integrated across all TMCs, based on interoperable platforms and open APIs.

“Our ambition is clear: to build the most integrated and technologically advanced business travel platform,” said Ziad Minkara, founder and CEO of the S4BT group in this press release.

“The acquisition of HotelHub marks a decisive step in this direction. It propels S4BT into a new dimension, strengthens our position and ensures a solid presence in the United Kingdom. It is not a finality, but a foundation on which we will continue to invest, integrate and develop our solutions.”

More than 60,000 hotel reservations per day

HotelHub thus enables S4BT to extend its presence in the United Kingdom, but also to increase the Group’s engineering capabilities, with 50% of the workforce (out of the Group’s 700 employees) now dedicated to technological and product development.

Moreover, HotelHub’s hotel infrastructure will be integrated into S4BT’s reservation platforms, payment solutions and electronic invoicing tools, “providing better operational control and added value to corporate travel agencies and client companies.”

The innovation efforts, notably in AI-driven rate optimization, automated reconciliation and analysis of hotel performance, should improve revenue quality and the operational efficiency of partner corporate travel agencies.

Finally, this integration will enable S4BT to process more than $5 billion in annual hotel reservations and more than 60,000 hotel bookings per day, thanks to access to more than 2 million properties worldwide.

Read also: CDS launches S4BT, Solutions for Business Travel: a European champion in corporate travel

Business Travel: Long Lake Acquires Amex GBT

July 16, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

Amex GBT va passer sous pavillon privé après son rachat par Long Lake - DepositPhotos.com, Rawpixel

IFTM TourMaG Party

American Express Global Business Travel a annoncé, le 4 mai 2026, avoir conclu un accord définitif en vue de son acquisition par Long Lake Management, dans le cadre d’une transaction d’une valeur d’environ 6,3 milliards de dollars.

“Aux termes de l’accord, les actionnaires d’Amex GBT recevront 9,50 $ par action en espèces, ce qui représente une prime de 60,2% par rapport au cours de clôture de l’action Amex GBT le 1er mai 2026, le dernier jour de bourse complet avant l’annonce de la transaction, et une prime d’environ 65,1% par rapport au prix moyen pondéré par les volumes de l’action Amex GBT pour les 30 jours se terminant le 1er mai 2026“, selon le communiqué officiel.

La transaction devrait être finalisée au cours du second semestre 2026, sous réserve notamment de l’approbation des actionnaires d’Amex GBT et l’obtention des autorisations réglementaires requises.

Une fois la transaction finalisée, les actions ordinaires d’Amex GBT ne seront plus cotées en bourse et Amex GBT deviendra une société privée.

A noter qu’American Express, Expedia, Qatar Investment Authority et BlackRock, représentant collectivement 69% des actions de GBT, ont conclu des accords de vote en faveur de la transaction.

Lire aussi : Read also: What challenges for business travel in 2026?

Behind this acquisition, an acceleration of the transformation of business travel

The deal is financed by a combination of equity contributed by Long Lake’s existing investors and Koch Equity Development LLC (“Koch”), Koch, Inc.’s main investment and acquisition arm, and by a debt financing guaranteed by JPMorgan, Bank of America, Citi and MUFG.

It marks the shift of a key publicly traded player to a private model, potentially more agile in its technology investments.

“Thanks to Long Lake’s applied artificial intelligence capabilities, our travel expertise, our global reach and decades of trusted relationships with clients and suppliers, Amex GBT is a driver of transformation for business travel“, stated Paul Abbott, Chief Executive Officer of Amex GBT.

“The future of business travel will rest on seamless collaboration between AI and human agents, serving every traveler: shorter booking lead times, proactive handling of contingencies and simplified travel administration. In partnership with Long Lake, Amex GBT will continue to invest heavily in these technologies and maintain its status for excellent customer service” added, for his part, Alex Taubman, co-founder and CEO of Long Lake.

For reference, American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) is a leader in software and services for travel, expense management and the organization of meetings and events, operating in more than 140 countries.

Read also: Amex GBT, Marietton, ATPI: the behind-the-scenes of consolidation in business travel