(From left): Kevin Ong, general manager, Aviareps Malaysia; Wilson Tay, managing director, GATS; Michael Gaebler, chairman and CEO, Aviareps; and Lum Khee Fah, director, GATS
THE Malaysian arm of Aviareps and Global Alliance Travel Services (GATS) have signed a merger agreement to form Aviareps Global Alliance Travel, a Malaysia-based GSA operating its customer-facing functions under the Aviareps Malaysia brand.
The new entity is 60 per cent owned by Aviareps Malaysia while the rest of the equity belongs to shareholders of GATS.
Wilson Tay, managing director of GATS, will become executive director of the new company, while Kelvin Ong, general manager of Aviareps Malaysia carries on his role with the merged entity.
Said Michael Gaebler, chairman and CEO, Aviareps: “Our decision to invest in GATS and expand our presence and commitment to the Malaysian market was a natural one; made easy by the company’s solid reputation in the market.
“Through the creation of Aviareps Global Alliance Travel, our global network of clients will now have an expanded specialised aviation team on the ground, in Malaysia, to provide innovative sales and marketing solutions that are both locally effective and supported by international best practice.”
The company’s airline clients include Air Arabia, Air Astana, Austrian Airlines, Bangkok Airways and Ukraine International Airlines.
Besides airline GSA activities, Aviareps Malaysia also conducts marketing representation for destinations such as the Netherlands Board of Tourism and Convention as well as sales activities for hospitality and retail brands such as Centara Hotels and Resorts, Choice Hotels International and Deutsche Bahn.
