The Globetrotter Group of companies, which includes Globetrotter Corporate Travel and Creative Events Management, has bought conference and convention organiser EventEdge International.
Globetrotter, with a turnover of more than $33 million for the 2003-2004 financial year, acquired EventEdge on August 1.
The deal is a timely one as it positions the business to make the most of the convention market, which is set for an influx of activity following the opening of the Perth Convention Exhibition Centre last week.
Globetrotter Corporate Travel this year celebrates 25 years in the travel industry as Western Australia’s largest privately owned travel agency.
Clients include the Australian Medical Authority (WA), the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies, the WA Wine Industry Association, the WA Local Government Association, Edith Cowan, and Murdoch University.
Last year the group formed Creative Events Entertainment Management, which has staged a number of prominent Perth events including Jose Carreras in the Supreme Court Gardens, the Beach Boys on Cottesloe Beach, David Bowie in the Supreme Court Gardens, and Jose Padilla for a three-concert tour.
Globetrotter group managing director John Battley said Globetrotter Corporate Travel, Creative Events Management, and EventEdge had significant synergies in the marketplace, in both breadth and depth of service offerings.
“We have about 350 corporate clients and are the biggest WA-owned travel business,” he said.
“The three companies in the group provide a unique product offering for corporates in terms of travel, events and conferences.
“A lot of people don’t realise the synergies that exist between the groups, but there is a real corporate side to entertainment.
“Take the Jose Carreras concert for example; we offered corporate tickets and tents, which we had a huge response to.”
Mr Battley said money that in an earlier era would have been spent on long lunches was now redirected towards corporate entertainment.
“It is really reflective of the lifestyle of the new millennium – time is precious,” he said.
The Globetrotter Group has strong plans for expansion, according to Mr Battley, with recently opened offices in Darwin and Melbourne, an office in Adelaide opening in the next two months, and Sydney and Brisbane offices planned for next year.
“We are also redeveloping our Stirling Highway office site in Nedlands,” Mr Battley told WA Business News.
