Uniglobe Travel marks 40-year anniversary with optimism and future focus 

Uniglobe Travel commemorates its 40th birthday. TMC leader in global SME market reflects on the last four decades and focuses on future success. A series of virtual events will recognise company milestones throughout 2021.

Vancouver, B.C. – (March 3, 2021) – Uniglobe Travel, a leading travel management company for the global SME market, today kicks off its 40th anniversary with a series of #Uniglobe40Strong events to recognize four decades of business success and reinforce the company’s vital role in a reimagined travel future.

The first event is a company-wide webinar to be broadcast to 3,800 Uniglobe agency professionals across six continents. The company will unveil its 40th anniversary marketing campaign, “Putting You First for 40 Years,” designed to showcase Uniglobe customer success stories throughout 2021 via its social media channels.

Honoring today’s milestone is Uniglobe Founder, Chairman & CEO, U. Gary Charlwood, the travel industry visionary and global franchising icon who founded the company in 1981 in Vancouver, B.C.

“Today we reflect on the past and celebrate everyone involved in Uniglobe’s remarkable growth over the past forty years,” said Charlwood. “Our mission today is as clear as it was from the beginning: To drive client success through better travel. We will always do everything we can to help our clients build their businesses and thrive. The values that defined us forty years ago continue to drive results today through elevated personal service and unrivaled travel expertise. Today, across 60 countries, Uniglobe professionals help their corporate and leisure clients ‘travel well’ by solving complex problems, finding innovative solutions and caring for every need. This is the hallmark of the Uniglobe family, and it will continue to set us apart for decades to come.”

“I am proud to represent a company that has stayed true to its foundational values for nearly half a century,” said Martin Charlwood, Uniglobe President & Chief Operating Officer. “Our absolute dedication and passion for travel defines who we are; it’s our essence. Since the company was founded in the 1980s, we have seen many changes disrupt our industry – sometimes to the very core – from commission cuts to volcanic ash to a global pandemic. While we know the travel landscape is constantly changing, we also understand that a resilient, hands-on travel professional serves a vital role in helping travelers navigate all the uncertainties. A ‘can-do’ spirit is the Uniglobe DNA that will guide our company forward the next 40 years and beyond.”

Future focus 

Throughout 2021, Uniglobe will host a series of virtual events to celebrate the company’s 40-year history with guest speakers from across the travel industry. Currently, all events will be hosted for Uniglobe agencies and staff members exclusively. However, as COVID-19 pandemic restrictions subside, external (customer, supplier and industry) audiences may be included. Contact Uniglobe for more information.

About Uniglobe Travel

Uniglobe Travel was founded by U. Gary Charlwood with the first agency established in Vancouver, B.C., Canada in 1981. Today, the global network includes 3,800 people in 60 countries on six continents servicing 90 countries. The company generates annual system-wide sales of US$5 billion (pre-pandemic). 

Uniglobe Travel leverages current technologies and preferred pricing to deliver leading-edge travel management services with a local, customer-centric approach. With a focus on small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) business travel as well as leisure, Uniglobe’s goal is to drive success through better travel. The company focuses on treating agency partners like family, who in turn treat their clients like family. Read more.

About U. Gary Charlwood

German-born U. Gary Charlwood knew he wanted to be in the travel industry when he took a job as a tour guide to pay for his university education in England. In the mid-1960s, he moved his family to Canada and joined the airline industry as a passenger agent.

After working for Canada Pacific Air Lines, Charlwood followed his entrepreneurial instincts and purchased the Canadian master franchise rights to the Century 21 real estate brand. By 1981, he founded his own international franchise brand, Uniglobe Travel International.

Today, Charlwood is a global franchising success story, international speaker and business mentor. He is an inductee to both the International Franchise Association (IFA) and American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) Halls of Fame. Charlwood was the first non-U.S. citizen to hold the position of IFA Chair and was Founding Chair of the ASTA Corporate Advisory Council which advocates for the travel industry.

As Founder, Chairman & CEO of the family-owned Charlwood Pacific Group, Charlwood oversees franchising companies Uniglobe Travel International, Century 21 Canada Real Estate, Centum Financial Group and Real Property Management, Canada from world headquarters in Vancouver, Canada. Read more.

For media inquiries and interviews, please contact media@uniglobe.com

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