Done deals: Who bought whom in 2023

The post-Covid spree of mergers and acquisitions across the corporate travel landscape continued apace in 2023, including plenty of activity by TMCs, as well as in the aviation, technology and events sectors.

One of the biggest deals came in August when Clarity Business Travel snapped up fellow UK travel management company Agiito from Capita plc in a deal worth £36.5 million. Gray Dawes was also busy last year as it made acquisitions in both the US and Australia to strengthen its global expansion ambitions. Meanwhile ATPI Group made the headlines in December by purchasing Italian specialist motorsport travel agency FAST.

Aviation continues to see plenty of consolidation as well, with Lufthansa Group agreeing a deal in May with the Italian government to purchase new national carrier ITA Airways and IAG reviving its long-running plans to buy Spain’s Air Europa. Meanwhile in the US, Alaska Airlines has agreed to acquire Hawaiian Airlines in a deal valued at $1.9 billion.

Technology is another sector which saw plenty of deals during 2023. These included Travelport buying Deem, provider of the Etta online booking tool, and Snowfall bolstering its Junction One booking platform by snapping up trip planning app AmigoGo. Last year also saw events tech specialist Cvent make a swift return to private ownership after being acquired by private equity giant Blackstone.

The following stories covering mergers, acquisitions and business launches were all published by Business Travel News and BTN Europe during 2023. 

January
Gray Dawes acquires Australian TMC to start global expansion

February
US meetings space provider Convene acquires etc.venues
Mondee Acquires Brazilian Travel Co. Orinter
IAG Agrees to Fully Acquire Air Europa

March
Travelport acquires travel tech platform Deem
Cvent sold to Blackstone in $4.6 billion deal
Marietton Développement acquires remaining stake in Bleu Voyages

April
Navan acquires India-based travel & expense management company
Gray Dawes cements US presence with agency acquisition
InteleTravel Acquires Hickory Global Partners

May
Lufthansa agrees deal to acquire ITA Airways

June
Wayte buys Quintessentially Corporate Travel Management
Wings Acquires Tech Provider for New Cyprus Tech HQ

July
CMAC Group acquires Netherlands-based company
OAG acquires air data provider Infare
Norwegian acquires local airline rival Wideroe
Emburse continues expansion with Tripbam acquisition

August
Clarity steps in to acquire Agiito from Capita plc
Snowfall acquires trip planning app AmigoGo

September
CDS Groupe acquires Germany’s Corporate Rates Club
Good Travel Management acquires Wexas TMC

October
TAG buys Australian conference and incentive specialist
ArrangeMY acquires venue-finding specialist
I Squared to acquire Arriva from Deutsche Bahn

November
NUMA acquires YAYS
Victor acquired by Abu Dhabi-based investment firm

December
Alaska Airlines to buy Hawaiian Airlines in $1.9bn deal
ATPI Group acquires motorsport travel agency
ATPCO Acquires Data Intelligence Platform 3Victors

Related: Who bought whom in 2022