Maupin Travel, a Durham, North Carolina-based travel agency, has acquired Salt Lake City’s Hess Corporate Travel. Both companies are part of Tzell Travel, a New York City-based travel agency management company.
Established in 1985 by Alan and Carol Hess, Hess Corporate Travel has become a leading U.S. travel management company, growing both organically and through acquisition. Hess acquired Utah competitors Crossroads Travel in 1999, Morris Murdock Business Travel in 2009 and Wycoff Travel in 2021. Recently, Travel Weekly named Hess Travel to its Power List of the top 54 U.S. travel management companies. In 2019, Hess had sales exceeding $100 million.
“Over time, we have been approached by a number of excellent travel management companies,” said 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 chief operation officer of 23 years, will continue in senior leadership with Maupin Travel, with every current team member from both companies staying onboard.”
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 Maupin’s retirement.
“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,” said 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,” said Cindy Schlansky, chief development officer of Global Travel Collection. “Tzell Travel is thrilled that Hess Travel and Maupin Travel are uniting as travel continues to rebound.”