Flight Centre to acquire Quebec's Les Voyages Laurier du Vallon

Flight Centre Travel Group has acquired Quebec City-based travel company Les Voyages Laurier du Vallon, in a move to strengthen the company's presence in Quebec.

According to Flight Centre, the company was previously under-represented in the province partly as a result of challenges posed by complying with local guidelines relating to use of the French language.

"Quebec is a large and attractive market for FLT, but our ability to expand and grow market-share in this province has, until now, been constrained," said Graham Turner, Flight Centre's managing director, adding the the acquisition "would fast-track the company's growth in another key global location.

"By working with LDV, we will be able to leverage the business's local expertise, experience and linguistic capabilities to grow our presence in Canada's second largest market, which is a major corporate hub and home to a large and active leisure travel population."

Flight Centre's President in Canada John Beauvais added "we are thrilled to be working with LDV, an established company in a market where we see enormous potential."

LDV was established in 1963 and has become one of the largest independent travel agencies in Quebec. The privately owned business, which has six locations across Quebec City and one location in Montreal, currently employs about 100 people across its three core business units which include:

• A five-shop luxury leisure travel business that draws on the expertise of a highly experienced consultant network. The leisure business, which is similar to FLT's Travel Associates offering in Australia, generates about half of LDV's TTV
• A strong corporate business that operates out of Quebec City and Montreal and generates about 40 per cent of group TTV; and
• An emerging MICE business

The businesses will continue to trade as LDV, to capitalize on the brand's strong presence in Quebec, Flight Centre said. Current LDV general manager Nicolas Racine will continue to run the business and will become part of Flight Centre's senior leadership group in Canada, reporting to Beauvais.