Gray Dawes acquires Express Travel to move into USA

Gray Dawes Group has acquired an award-winning American travel agency as it continues its “global growth plan”.

The purchase of Florida-based Express Travel was completed on April 28.

It takes family-owned Gray Dawes’ turnover to more than £350 million and pushes the number of employees towards 300.

The company said its latest acquisition would complete a ‘follow the sun’ service strategy with staff available 24 hours a day.

Suzanne Horner, Gray Dawes Group chief executive, said: “Our expansion into the USA is incredibly exciting. It represents the next step in our global growth plan and closes the circle on our unique service delivery strategy.” 

She added: “Express Travel is renowned in the USA for their loyal and outstanding staff. I am delighted to welcome them to the Gray Dawes Group.”

Gray Dawes Travel, part of the Gray Dawes Group, has offices in London, Colchester, Manchester, Leeds, Leamington Spa and Edinburgh, as well as Australian offices in Sydney and Melbourne.

In January, Gray Dawes Group bought Australian travel management business MP Travel for an undisclosed sum.

On the latest acquisition, Horner said she had “long admired” the business built by Express Travel’s team including managing partners Olga Ramudo and Cristina Jacomino. 

One of the largest Hispanic companies in the USA and among the biggest women-owned business in Florida, Express Travel’s accolades include being crowned ‘Travel agency of the year’ by the American Society of Travel Agents. 

Horner said: “This latest chapter in our development – Gray Dawes’ 13th acquisition to date – marks such an exciting time for us and our customers.” 

She added: “Our clients increasingly want global solutions, even the smaller ones. They’re taking us on the journey.

“We’ve been very successful picking up businesses in the UK and integrating them. We know how to do that well. Now we’re doing that overseas, earlier this year in Australia and now in America.”

Both Ramudo and Jacomino will stay on with Express Travel. Ramudo becomes Gray Dawes’ senior vice president for Florida & Latam, with Jacomino taking on the role of luxury travel director.

Ramudo said:  “I am very excited by the opportunity to work with Suzanne and her team, and thrilled for Express Travel’s staff to be part of such an exciting and award-winning travel management company.” 

Jacomino said: “There are so many synergies across the businesses which makes this a very natural fit.

“By being part of the Gray Dawes Group, we will be even stronger and able to deliver enhanced global opportunities to our staff and clients alike.”