LOS ANGELES -- Inbound tour operator American Tours International
and AAA Mid-Atlantic formed a joint venture that will carry the
name American Tours International and provide private-label travel
products for both international and domestic markets.
The venture grows out of a three-year-old alliance under which
ATI provided domestic travel products for AAA Mid-Atlantic.
"It's part of a wider strategy to get a foothold in the domestic
market," said Michael Fitzpatrick, ATI president. "For many years
we've been looking for the right partner."
The joint venture also gives ATI a broader geographic base,
Fitzpatrick said.
The new company will be headquartered in ATI's building at Los
Angeles Airport, with regional offices in New York, Washington,
Miami, Orlando, San Francisco, and Honolulu.
The company also signed an agreement to provide a private-label
product for Univision, the Spanish-language TV network, and is
looking for other opportunities, Fitzpatrick said.