By Jennifer Dorsey
MINNEAPOLIS -- Northwestern Travel, a $354 million agency
headquartered here, said it will take over the operation of
agencies in 25 Dayton's, Hudson's and Marshall Field's department
stores on Oct. 5.
The in-store agencies, owned by Dayton-Hudson Corp., employ more
than 200 employees at locations throughout Minnesota and in Detroit
and Chicago. "We are assuming all the operational duties. They
still own the name and locations," a Northwestern spokesman said.
The agencies will continue to do business as Dayton's Travel in
Minnesota, Hudson's Travel in Detroit and Marshall Field's Travel
in Chicago.
Art Dahl, Northwestern Travel's chief operating officer said,
"The travel services of Dayton's, Hudson's and Marshall Field's are
prestigious and highly respected competitors in leisure travel,
with established and skilled leadership and employees. The brands
are trusted among guests and suppliers. We intend to expand and
improve [the] travel services."
Northwestern Travel is putting its department store venture
under the roof of a new division: Dayton's Travel Service.
Northwestern Travel's other divisions include Northwestern Travel
Management, a corporate agency; Mainline Cruise and Travel, and
Northwestern Incentive Services.
The agency's relationship with Dayton-Hudson was announced about
a month after it terminated a three-year relationship with the May
Department Store group under which it ran agencies in department
stores in Southern California; Portland, Ore., and St. Louis. May's
"business plan called for growth in more traditional merchandise
areas," the Northwestern spokesman said. In contrast, he said,
Dayton Hudson is "totally committed to travel in their stores and
wants to help us grow travel."