BCD Group (formerly BCD Holdings N.V.) is a privately owned Dutch company and consists of BCD Travel (global corporate travel management and its subsidiaries BCD Meetings & Events, global meetings and events agency, and Advito, global business travel consultancy). Founded in 1975 by John Fentener van Vlissingen, BCD Group employs more than 15,000 people and operates in 100+ countries. Total sales, including franchising of US$10.9 billion, amount to US$30 billion (2019).[2]

BCD Group N.V.
Company typePrivately held holding company
IndustryTravel
Founded4 September 1975; 49 years ago (1975-09-04)[1]
FounderJohn Fentener van Vlissingen
Headquarters,
Netherlands
Area served
Global
Key people
Stephan Baars (CEO)
Brands
OwnerFentener van Vlissingen family
Websitewww.bcdgroup.com

History

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BCD was founded in 1975 by John Fentener van Vlissingen as a real estate management company, Property Management Advisory Services,[3] with founding capital of US$10,000 and 2 employees. In 1976, van Vlissingen left his job at Pierson, Heldring & Pierson to focus exclusively on his company, which opened an office in Atlanta that year[1] and changed its name to Noro Management Inc. BCD became deeply involved in real estate development in the Atlanta metro area, including shopping malls and office complexes.[4]

In 1986, in anticipation of diversification, Noro was spun off and the remaining company was renamed BCD Holdings N.V. The company entered the travel industry in 1987 with the acquisition of WorldTravel Advisors, an Atlanta-based travel management company,[3] and of off-airport parking operation Park 'N Fly in 1988.[1] Park 'N Fly was sold in 2023 to Green Courte Partners.

At the beginning of 2006, TUI AG sold its subsidiary TQ3 Travel Solutions Management Holding GmbH to BCD Holdings N.V. (operating as BCD Group since 2014), which merged the three companies World Travel BTI, The Travel Company and TQ3 Travel Solutions under the name BCD Travel.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "BCD Group". Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  2. ^ "Financial results add momentum to leading travel management company BCD Travel's strategic growth plan" (PDF). news.bcdtravel.com. 2020-02-20. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  3. ^ a b The Art of Enterprise-BCD Holdings 1975-2000 ISBN 90-901399-5-8
  4. ^ Coleman, Zach (Apr 5, 1999). "Little-known investor quietly builds empire". Atlanta Business Chronicle. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  5. ^ "Massive New Business Travel Firm Planned". Travel Agent Central. 2006-01-03. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
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