Adelman Travel

Adelman Travel, once located on Olive Boulevard in Creve Coeur, represented a significant force in the world of travel agencies, particularly carving out a substantial niche in corporate travel management before its permanent closure. The story of this specific branch is not just about a closed door; it's intertwined with a larger narrative of industry consolidation, technological evolution, and the strategic acquisition by a global giant, BCD Travel, in August 2019. For potential clients, understanding Adelman's history provides insight into a highly capable, albeit now absorbed, travel entity.

The Strengths of a Corporate Travel Powerhouse

Founded in 1985 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Adelman Travel grew into one of North America's largest and most respected travel management company entities. Its primary strength was a deep focus on providing comprehensive business travel solutions. The company excelled at creating customized travel and expense management programs tailored to the specific needs of corporate clients, which included major players in the financial, technology, and manufacturing sectors. This wasn't just about booking flights; Adelman offered a diversified suite of services including global consolidation, expense management integration with platforms like SAP Concur, and advanced risk management solutions.

A key positive aspect of their operation was the blend of technology with personal service. They developed proprietary tools like the Ava Desktop platform, designed to empower travel arrangers to manage multiple traveler profiles, trips, and invoices from a single interface. Furthermore, Adelman invested in applying real-time intelligence to the reservation process, enhancing efficiency and reporting. While primarily focused on corporate accounts (which constituted about 90% of their business), they also managed a leisure travel division, Adelman Vacations, offering services for vacation packages, meetings and incentives, and even specialized group tours. This dual focus allowed them to leverage their industry knowledge for both business and leisure clients.

Challenges and The Eventual Acquisition

Despite its strengths, the operational landscape for a business travel agency like Adelman was not without its challenges. The market has seen immense pressure from online booking tools that empower individuals to manage their own travel, reducing reliance on traditional agents for simpler itineraries. Furthermore, the corporate travel sector is notoriously complex, demanding high levels of service, intricate reporting, and competitive pricing. Some client feedback pointed towards frustrations with fee structures, such as per-call charges or fees for using flight credits, which can be perceived as annoying despite being a standard industry practice.

The most significant "negative" for the Creve Coeur location is, of course, its permanent closure. However, this closure is a direct result of a strategic business decision on a much larger scale. In 2019, BCD Travel, a global travel management titan, acquired Adelman Travel Group. This move was part of BCD's aggressive growth strategy to expand its global network and was seen as a logical step, especially since Adelman had already been part of the BCD Travel Affiliates program since 2017. The acquisition secured a future for Adelman's clients and employees within a larger, financially robust organization, but it also marked the beginning of the end for the brand's independent identity and physical locations like the one in Creve Coeur, which was ultimately consolidated into BCD's broader operations.

A Look at Their Service Offerings

To fully appreciate what Adelman offered, it's useful to break down their key service areas:

• Corporate Travel Management: This was their core business. They provided end-to-end services, from negotiating airfares and hotel rates to implementing travel policies and providing detailed analytics on travel spend. Their role as an international travel agents network was solidified through their partnership and eventual acquisition by BCD.
• Leisure and Vacation Planning: Through Adelman Vacations, they handled personal travel needs. This included crafting customized travel itineraries, booking cruise bookings, and arranging stays at destinations like all-inclusive resorts. Client testimonials for this division often praise the personal touch and meticulous planning.
• Meetings & Incentives: The company also specialized in organizing corporate events, from small meetings to large incentive trips designed to reward top-performing employees.
• Technology and Expense Management: A significant part of their value proposition was integrating travel booking with expense reporting systems. Their status as a top-tier SAP Concur partner, for instance, allowed them to offer clients streamlined processes and greater control over trip costs.

Final Assessment

Adelman Travel, including its former Creve Coeur office, should be viewed as a successful and innovative player in the tourism and corporate travel industry that ultimately became part of a larger, global entity. For decades, it provided high-quality, tech-forward solutions for complex travel needs. The positive aspects were its deep expertise in corporate travel, its investment in technology, and its diversified service portfolio. The negative aspects are primarily centered on the complexities and fee structures inherent in the corporate travel model and the eventual loss of its brand independence and physical locations post-acquisition. The closure of the Olive Boulevard office is less a story of failure and more a reflection of the constant consolidation and evolution that defines the modern travel management landscape.