Vacation Express
{{short description|Tour operator based in Atlanta, GA}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Vacation Express
| logo =
| image = Vacation_Express_vertical_logo.png
| former_name =
| type = Private
| industry = Tour operator
| founded = {{start date|1989}} in Atlanta, Georgia
| founders = {{unbulleted list| Kevin Hernandez| Gantt Cookson| Meg Deeb}}
| hq_location_city = Atlanta, Georgia
| hq_location_country = United States
| key_people = {{unbulleted list| Rene Jongmans, president| Gantt Cookson, vice president of operations, co-founder|Kevin Hernandez, vice president of sales and marketing, co-founder}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=6563088|title=Company Overview of VE Holdings, Inc. |publisher=Bloomberg Business|access-date=April 5, 2016}}
| parent = Sunwing Travel Group
| website = {{URL|http://www.vacationexpress.com}}
}}
Vacation Express is a tour operator based in Atlanta, Georgia. The company was founded in 1989. Vacation Express was purchased by Sunwing Travel Group in 2011 for an undisclosed sum.{{cite news | url=https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/Sunwing-acquires-Vacation-Express | title=Sunwing Acquires Vacation Express| work=Travel Weekly | first=Michelle | last=Baran | date=December 14, 2011}} The company has sold over two million vacation packages.{{cite news | url=https://www.travelpulse.com/news/vacation-packages/meet-vacation-express-at-the-agenthome-travel-summit-in-atlantic-city.html |title=Meet Vacation Express At The Agent@Home Travel Summit in Atlantic City| work=TravelPulse | first=David | last=Cogswell | date=September 6, 2015}}
History
Vacation Express was founded in 1989 by Kevin Hernandez, Gantt Cookson and Meg Deeb.{{cite news | url=https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/Airtours-unit-acquires-Southeast-operator | title=Airtours' Unit Acquires Southeast Operator | work=Travel Weekly | first=Laura | last=Del Rosso | date=October 2, 1998}} The company's initial offering was air/land vacation packages to Jamaica.{{cite web|url=http://www.vacationexpress.com/about-vacation-express/|title=About Vacation Express|publisher=Vacation Express|access-date=April 5, 2016}} In 1992, the company began a charter flight from Atlanta to Cancun and eventually became known as a charter operator in the Southeast and Midwest. By 1998, Vacation Express sold packages from nine U.S. cities to Cancun, Cozumel, Aruba and Costa Rica. That year, Vacation Express was purchased for $24 million by the subsidiary of Airtours International Airways, North America Leisure Group. As part of the acquisition the Vacation Express began offering cruises, expanded its services into the Mid-Atlantic region and listed Baltimore as a chartered gateway.{{cite news | url=https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/Vacation-Express-decade-of-growth | title=Vacation Express' Decade of Growth| work=Travel Weekly | first=Lori | last=Tenny | date=October 14, 1999}} After ten years in business, the company had grown to sell travel packages to 100,000 customers annually by 1999. In 2003, Vacation Express was purchased by Flightserv Inc., a travel services division of {{Proper name|eResource}} Capital Group, along with another tour operator for $16.5 million.{{cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2004/06/21/story7.html|title=Flightserv Gains Altitude|publisher=Atlanta Business Chronicle|first=Mary Jane |last=Creduer |date=June 21, 2004 |access-date=April 5, 2016}}{{cite news | url=https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/MyTravel-Group-sells-3-U-S-firms | title=MyTravel Group Sells 3 U.S. Firms| work=Travel Weekly | first=David | last=Cogswell| date=October 31, 2003}}
In 2011, Sunwing Travel Group purchased Vacation Express for an undisclosed sum. As a result of the sale Sunwing Airlines, a subsidiary of Sunwing Travel Group, sells fares through Vacation Express.{{cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2012/05/25/hartsfield-jackson-welcomes-sunwing.html|title=Hartsfield-Jackson Welcomes Sunwing Airlines|publisher=Atlanta Business Chronicle|first=Dave|last=Williams|date=May 25, 2012|access-date=April 5, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-bwi-vacation-express-20150526-story.html|title=Vacation Express Returns to BWI With More Seasonal Flights to Caribbean|work=The Baltimore Sun|first=Kevin |last=Rector|date=May 26, 2015|access-date=April 5, 2016}} The company also sells charters flights through many airlines including Aeroméxico, Interjet, and iAero Airways.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/todayinthesky/2014/06/10/vacation-flights-booming-at-high-fare-cincinnati-airport/10282081/ |title=Vacation Flights Booming at High-Fare Cincinnati Airport|publisher=USA Today|first=Jason |last=Williams|date=June 10, 2014|access-date=April 5, 2016}}{{cite news | url=http://www.travelpulse.com/news/vacation-packages/vacation-express-to-start-charters-from-charlotte-to-cancun-and-punta-cana.html | title=Vacation Express to Start Charters from Charlotte to Cancun and Punta Cana | work=TravelPulse | first=David | last=Cogswell | date=September 23, 2013}}{{cite news | url=https://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2014/12/17/vacation-express-resumes-service-adds-destination.html |title=Vacation Express to Resume Port Columbus Flights | work=Columbus Dispatch |first=Steve |last=Wartenberg |date=December 18, 2014}}
References
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