Travel Counsellors announces acquisition of Planisto, enhancing travel technology capabilities.
- This marks the company’s second acquisition in its 30-year history, following their 2023 acquisition of Holidaysplease.
- Planisto allows agents to create complex, personalised travel itineraries, aligning with Travel Counsellors’ premium market focus.
- The integration of Planisto’s technology with Travel Counsellors’ Phenix platform aims to improve customer booking experience.
- This strategic move supports Travel Counsellors’ growth towards achieving a £1bn+ transaction value platform.
Travel Counsellors, a prominent homeworking travel agency, has made a significant acquisition by purchasing Planisto, a travel technology platform. This move is only the second acquisition in its nearly three-decade history, following its purchase of Holidaysplease in 2023. The acquisition underscores Travel Counsellors’ strategic focus on bolstering their presence in the premium travel market, especially after reporting a remarkable 23% increase in annual bookings, reaching a sum of £933 million.
Planisto is a sophisticated platform that empowers agents to create and manage complex and bespoke travel itineraries for their clients, thus complementing and reinforcing Travel Counsellors’ existing suite of digital tools. This acquisition was strategically revealed at the Travel Counsellors’ annual conference, where a £15 million investment into technology was announced for the upcoming year, affirming their commitment to enhancing technological capabilities.
Notably, the Planisto software will be seamlessly integrated into Travel Counsellors’ proprietary Phenix platform. This integration is expected to significantly enhance the booking journey by providing a more personalised and efficient experience for end customers, in line with the company’s ongoing digital transformation efforts.
The acquisition also includes the assimilation of Planisto’s development team, consisting of three Benelux-based creators, into Travel Counsellors. This team brings a wealth of experience and entrepreneurial skills, which are anticipated to further drive innovation and platform development within the company.
Steve Byrne, CEO of Travel Counsellors, expressed his enthusiasm for the acquisition, highlighting its alignment with the company’s vision of combining exceptional human service with cutting-edge technology. He stated, “We are delighted to have acquired such a highly regarded and award-winning technology platform in Planisto – which has been on our radar for some time – as well as the hugely talented development team behind its success.”
The acquisition of Planisto positions Travel Counsellors to further expand its technological capabilities and market reach.
