JTB’S global expansion has kicked into high gear with the acquisition of Singapore’s Dynasty Travel and new appointments within its Singapore-based operations.
Tadaaki Zaima, who moved to Singapore a year ago as senior manager, corporate planning department at JTB, will become Dynasty’s executive director and general manager of corporate planning.
Meanwhile, managing director of JTB-owned Star Holiday Mart and Singapore Alive, Dennis Law, has been named executive officer and general manager of global inbound business, JTB Asia-Pacific Headquarters from April 1. He will be replaced by Dominic Ong.
Zaima said Dynasty and Star Holiday Mart will continue to be run separately, but JTB will tap possible synergies between the former’s predominantly outbound and the latter’s predominantly inbound businesses.
He is responsible for business strategy, expansion beyond Singapore and developing unique Japanese products for Singapore’s outbound market, while also acting as the bridge between the Asia-Pacific headquarters and JTB headquarters,
Law said: “JTB has taken the next step to move forward to become a global player by 2020, and there are plans to acquire more companies to expand its non-Japanese global business.”
Managing director of Dynasty and now also COO, Clifford Neo, said the family-run business could only do so much to expand the brand in Asia. Since acquiring the company in 2004 and focusing on mid- to high-end outbound travellers, revenue has grown from S$13 million (US$10.2 million) to S$94 million last year, and peaked at S$120 million two years ago.
Neo named Malaysia, Indonesia, and Australia as potential markets for Dynasty’s expansion. He said technology innovation would continue to feature in its expansion plan.
“My goal now is to keep the staff who have been with us over the years and to help them and the brand to continue to grow and succeed with JTB. I would like to thank them and those who worked with us in the past for taking the company to where it is today.”
