Agency makes 'quality acquisition'

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Feb 18, 2003 by Capital-Journal

The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks still haunt the airline and travel industries while Internet travel sites, such as Travelocity.com, continue to assault the profits of travel agents.

"Things are forever changed, not only in the travel industry, but also in the United States. And we're no exception," said Janet Nelson, owner of Topeka-based Jade Travel.

So why did her company recently purchase Mark 1 Travel, a two- person agency that closed its doors Friday at Gage Shopping Center?

Why not, replied Nelson, considering she acquired an agency with little additional overhead, and gained a seasoned employee and eliminated a competitor in the process.

"It's a small acquisition, but it's a quality acquisition," said Nelson, who co-founded Jade Travel in 1988 with her husband, Dennis.

"We're not incurring any overhead," she added. "We wouldn't have done it in today's environment with the expense of acquiring another location, because that is an expense."

Jade Travel has been located at Brookwood Shopping Center since it purchased King Travel in 1997 and brought the merged staffs of the agencies to King Travel's former offices at 2901 S.W. 29th. Jade Travel's purchase of Mark 1 gave the company 15 employees, all located at Brookwood Shopping Center.

The purchase of Mark 1 Travel was completed Monday, when Mark 1's Melinda Smith began working full time out of Jade Travel's office.

"That's one reason why Mark 1 looked so good," Nelson said. "It was a smart move for us. We needed her."

Smith has 14 years of experience as a travel agent. Mark 1's other employee entered semi-retirement, Nelson said.

Mark 1's customer list --- "a nice mix" of business and vacation customers, Nelson said --- was folded into Jade Travel's customer database. The agency's former phone number has been rolled over into Smith's office at Jade Travel.

Nelson said her company has remained "fairly stable" after rebounding from 9-11. The company, which trimmed its expenses to avoid cutting employees, posted a profit in 2002.

Business travel makes up 40 percent of Jade Travel's clientele, Nelson said. The remainder consists of vacationers and group travelers sponsored by churches and schools.

Chris Moon can be reached at

(785) 295-1231 or cmoon@cjonline.com.

"Things are forever changed, not only in the travel industry, but also in the United States."

JANET NELSON

Owner of Jade Travel