The Travel Company has announced four key appointments. Chris Crowley will join as head of sales for The Travel Company and SYNERGI UK on 1 August 2005. SYNERGI is the global travel organisation, of which The Travel Company is a partner Crowley will report to director of operations, Michele Bibby and be based at the company�s London W1 HQ Marble Arch House.

Michele Bibby said: �Chris Crowley is a well known, proactive industry figure and I am delighted that he is joining The Travel Company. Chris brings with him great experience of the corporate travel world and we look forward to his enthusiastic, professional style and high standards, which are a great fit with The Travel Company culture.�

Crowley was previously regional director of marketing and sales at Concorde Hotels. His CV also includes posts at ACCOR, Radisson SAS and Travel by Appointment.

Crowley said: �I am looking forward to contributing to the success of the Travel Company and to helping cement its position as one of the leading Travel Management Companies in the UK. I will work towards delivering a sustainable program of growth as well further enhancing existing commercial partnerships through focused brand recognition strategies coupled with an unrivalled program of service delivery.�

ALSO at The Travel Company, the company�s London City office general manager Thane Jackson relocates to Manchester to head up The Travel Company�s Northern operations. The June 2004 acquisition of the business and assets of former Corporate Travel International (CTI) has given The Travel Company a high-level presence in Hull, York, Manchester and Leeds.

Taking over Jackson�s role as general manager City office will be Carolyn Roome who joins from TQ3, where she was based for eight years, initially in the post of general manager before being promoted to EMEA multi-national account manager for a large City investment bank

Mark Eden is also a new recruit � he has been appointed sales manager for the north to build on The Travel Company�s rapid northern expansion - he joins from Portman Travel and will be based in Manchester.

For further media information contact Jane Richards / Lisa Donohue at Compass Communications on 01753 654815 jrichards@compasspr.com Websites: www.thetravel.co.uk / www.synergitravel.com

Notes to editors:

The Travel Company was established in 1981 and is the UK�s largest independently owned travel management company. The Travel Company operates a 24 hours, every day of the year service and has VIP Service Teams based at both Heathrow and Gatwick Airports. Talking Point is the Travel Company�s conference & incentive division. The Travel Company Group annualised sales are in excess of �250 million and the group employs over 500 people. The Travel Company has global presence through the SYNERGI Global Travel Management network.

SYNERGI Global Travel Management is a powerful joint venture enterprise of travel management companies located in the major business centres of the world that provide effective solutions to their clients� global business travel needs. SYNERGI is represented in over 50 countries with more than 3,000 offices and 12,000 employees worldwide. It has annual turnover of more than $10 billion (USD).