AmericanTours International LLC Partners with Canada's Alberta Motor Assoc.
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.--June 5, 2006--AmericanTours International (ATI) and the Alberta Motor Association (AMA), a member club of the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA), which, in turn is a member club of the American Automobile Association (AAA), are pleased to announce their strategic partnership. AMA joins the Ohio Auto Club, AAA Mid-Atlantic and ATI, Inc. as partners in AmericanTours International LLC by acquiring a minority interest. AMA adds more than 750,000 members to the LLC partners, which now represent 5,500,000 members in the U.S. and Canada. Each partner will benefit by being able to offer a wider range of high value products to a much larger customer base through multiple distribution channels.Objective of the alliance is increased travel revenues while positioning ATI LLC as a major provider of private label travel products on the international and domestic markets. AMA is committed with the other ATI LLC partners to mutually growing their travel business.
AMA's CEO Don Smitten stated, "We're proud to have the opportunity to expand our strategic relationship with ATI, which is already a preferred supplier, by becoming an owner and by utilizing ATI's expertise for product development and on-line technology to create better value, better delivery and a wider range of travel offerings to our members. ATI has a solid reputation for innovative products, state-of-the-art technology and for being a highly respected team. We look forward to working with them to deliver outstanding travel experiences to our members."
Established in 1977, ATI is the leading private label wholesale tour operator for the inbound North American travel market. The company is under the management and direction of founders/owners Noel Irwin Hentschel, Chairman/CEO, and Michael Fitzpatrick, President. "As the nation's largest 'Visit North America' tour operator, ATI is committed to servicing more than 500,000 visitors a year and representing our domestic and international clients, the world's major tour operators, many of whom we have worked with for nearly three decades," said Hentschel.
Established in 1926, AMA is the largest membership organization in Alberta, representing more than 750,000 members. AMA offers a variety of products and services to members related to travel, insurance, financial services, registry services, emergency road service, driver education and community involvement. As a leading advocate for traffic safety, travel and consumer protection, crime prevention and the environment, AMA represents the interests of its members and the motoring public to industry and all levels of government.
"For ATI, this growth strategy on the domestic market with another 'blue chip' minority equity partner is deliberate and unique as we expand the partnership with CAA," Fitzpatrick commented.
In 2002, AAA, the nation's largest leisure travel agency in the USA with more than $4 billion annual sales, and CAA, the largest wholly-owned leisure travel agency in Canada with more than $450 million in annual sales, named ATI as a preferred provider of online North American travel products for their combined 49 million members. ATI is connected online to all AAA/CAA clubs and offers AAA/CAA travel agents, counselors and members direct access to ATI's entire product range.
"In a short time, ATI has become a very important partner for AAA," said Al DeWalle, Chairman and CEO of AAA Mid-Atlantic. "AAA and CAA are known for excellent service, reliable travel information and value, which ATI is integral in delivering to our members."
"The combination of ATI, AMA, Ohio Auto Club and AAA Mid-Atlantic as strategic partners creates a very powerful entity in the travel industry," added Hentschel. "Joint buying power will help us provide the best value and the most competitive pricing for our international clients and AAA/CAA members. Our suppliers will also benefit by having a larger and more diverse source of business for the future. By leveraging our combined strengths, we can achieve our mutual goals as a major force in the North American travel market of tomorrow."