Northstar Travel Group acquires travAlliancemedia

Secaucus-based Northstar Travel Group announced Tuesday it has acquired travAlliancemedia, a marketing services, digital media, event and information company serving the retail travel community.

Northstar is a B2B information and marketing solutions company serving the travel industry.

travAlliancemedia owns the TravelPulse.com, TravelPulse Canada, Agent at Home, Travel Agent Academy and Agent Studio brands as well as a portfolio of content solutions, marketing services and software and marketing tools.

“The addition of travAlliancemedia’s well-known brands serving the retail, home-based and independent travel advisory market complement Northstar’s leadership brands including Travel Weekly and TravelAge West serving the retail travel industry,” Thomas Kemp, chairman and CEO of Northstar Travel Group, said. “The acquisition provides Northstar with an unparalleled portfolio of marketing services, online media, events, and marketing tools serving the travel advisory community and connecting travel suppliers and destinations to this audience.”

“We are thrilled to complete this merger of the two leading information and marketing services companies serving the retail travel market,” Mark Murphy, founder and CEO of travAlliancemedia, said. “We know the Northstar team and brands very well and believe this is a great combination of talent, complementary brands, and online services to better serve the travel advisory market.”

Murphy will become an advisor to the new company once it merges.

“The travAlliancemedia portfolio is a perfect strategic fit with Northstar’s core information and marketing services brands serving the retail travel industry,” Bob Sullivan, president of Northstar’s Travel Group, said. “”We are very excited about the growth opportunities in Canada and we will work with John Kirk to determine what Northstar brands and products we may introduce in Canada.”

Jones Day provided legal advice to Northstar. Blank Rome LLP served as legal counsel and Progress Partners Inc. served as financial advisor to travAlliancemedia.