Bountiful — Maupin Travel, a branch of Tzell Travel, is excited to announce that it is assuming operations of Hess Corporate Travel, also a branch of Tzell Travel.
Hess Corporate Travel was established 37 years ago by Alan and Carol Hess. Over the years, Hess Corporate Travel has become a leading US travel management company, growing both organically and through acquisition. Hess Travel acquired Crossroads Travel in 1999, Morris Murdock Business Travel in 2009, and Wycoff Travel in 2021. Recently, Travel Weekly inducted Hess Travel into its 2019-21 POWER LIST of the top 54 US travel management companies with 2019 sales exceeding $100 million.
“Over time, we have been approached by a number of excellent travel management companies,” says Al Hess, Hess Travel CEO. “However, this opportunity to merge the Hess team with the Maupin team is truly a match made in heaven. It is particularly important that Mike Davidson, Hess COO of 23 years will continue in senior leadership with Maupin Travel, with every current team member from both companies staying onboard.”
North Carolina-based Maupin Travel has focused on personalized, complex travel for Corporate, University and Vacation customers since its founding by Tony Maupin in 1979. Trevor and Jordan Smith took the reins at Maupin Travel in 2014 upon Tony’s retirement, and they have learned a great deal during the best of times leading up to 2020 and the most challenging of times during the pandemic.
“Maupin and Hess share a similar focus on high touch customer service, an approach that is needed now more than ever. Al has built a wonderful business by treating customers and employees like family, which is epitomized by Mike Davidson and their team,” says Trevor Smith, Maupin Travel President. “When our business came to a halt in March 2020, the forecast was pretty bleak. Now with our combined 45-person team, leadership experience, nationwide presence and excellent technology platforms, we have never been stronger. It will be fun to see what we can do together.”
“This is an exciting time for these two Tzell branches to come together and combine their in-depth travel experience and expertise to service their clients,” says Cindy Schlansky, Chief Development Officer, Global Travel Collection. “Tzell Travel is thrilled that Hess Travel and Maupin Travel are uniting as travel continues to rebound.”