Murdock Travel, 36 S. State, is now a member of the Woodside Travel Trust after shareholders of Travel Trust International and Woodside Travel Management Corp. approved a merger of the two companies.
B.J. Blayden, Murdock spokeswoman, said Murdock has been affiliated with Travel Trust International for four years. "The merger offers five specific benefits to the former members of both Woodside and Travel Trust International," Blayden said.The benefits are stronger hotel programs with better coverage and deeper discounts; a membership base large enough to justify the development of value-added products and services for members and their clients; a membership base diverse enough to allow for niche-specific programs; broader international coverage creating enhanced networking and negotiating capabilities; and market permanence based on a strong membership base coupled with proven staff and stable senior management.
Travel Trust International, Bethesda, Md., had 131 agencies with 2,300 branches in 37 countries and sales totaling $8.1 billion. Woodside Travel Management, Boston, Mass., had sales of $5.2 billion. Woodside Travel Trust will be based in Bethesda and will have 200 members agencies with more than 3,400 locations in 52 countries, making it the largest travel company in the world.