2022 sales: $200 million
Previous ranking: 35
Employees: 39 full-time, 3 part-time
216 Summit Blvd., Suite 220
Birmingham, AL 35243
Phone: (205) 802-6222
Website Executives
PRESIDENT/CEO: Troy Haas
CFO/COO: David Harris
CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER: Kerry Dyer
Company facts
* Privately held company.
* Troy Haas is majority shareholder.
* Primary business is being a host agency for luxury travel advisors, with a mentoring program for new entrepreneurs.
* Has an incentive travel division servicing a variety of corporations throughout the U.S.
* $190 million of sales completed by hosted agents.
* Works with 115 independent contractors.
* Sales: 95% leisure, 5% other.
* Belongs to Virtuoso and is a branch of the Tzell Travel Group.
2022 Developments
* Welcomed a new CFO/COO to maintain growth and development momentum and to safeguard status as a privately held business.
* Invested in a new website to generate leads for advisors and attract advisors.
* Expanded its in-house marketing team.
* Launched a proprietary supplier and destination database optimized for mobile devices with search capabilities for hotels, DMCs, cruises and local destinations.
* Broadened the scope of advisors' educational travel options.
Looking ahead
* Prioritizing tech-driven solutions for advisors and support teams, including a new CRM system, a GDS overlay and an automated HR benefits system.
* Integrating an entrepreneurial operating system across the organization to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
* Organizing more frequent in-person gatherings to facilitate collaboration among advisors and the internal team, a response to increased pressure experienced by travel advisors over the past two years.
* Revenues increased 15% year to date compared with 2022, driven by a surge in demand after the pandemic's height.
* Travel trends indicate that multigenerational trips are still popular, with continued interest in travel to Europe, particularly Italy, which remains its top destination. Lesser-visited areas of Spain and Greece are also popular as clients try to escape crowds and look for lower rates.