New global Lufthansa City Center Advisory Board elected – Driving Future Success

 

 

New appointments to the Advisory Board (2024-2026) of the Lufthansa City Center Inter-national (LCCI) travel agency chain: With Youssef Boussaada (LCC Ariana Voyages, Tunisia) for the MEA region, Chad Seybold (LCC Gant Travel Management, USA) for the region North America, Shania Arrundell (LCC Viajes Humboldt, Venezuela) for the region Central America/Caribbean and Ana María Silva Velarde Alvarez (LCC Hansaperu Travel, Peru) for the region South America), four new members are joining the important committee in the new period 2024-2026. Three more new members were assigned by the shareholders: Michael Becker (LCC Fides Reisen, Germany – newly appointed by shareholder Lufthansa City Center Reisebüropartner GmbH), next to Frank Wagner, General Manager UK, Ireland & Iceland, LH and Brendan Shashoua, Senior Director Sales South East Asia, both newly as-signed by the second shareholder Lufthansa. Jan van Steen from the LCC Omnia Travel remains Chairman.

 

The board consist of 15 members in total. It is completed by the following eight members, who were re-elected in the new period to continue their important work: Jan Van Steen (LCC Omnia Travel, Belgium), Andrea Bartucci (LCO Italy), Gregor Kadanka (LCC Mondial, Austria) for the region Western Europe, Marian Szypula (LCC etravel, Poland) and Elvis Kotherja  (LCC Elite Travel, Albania) for the Region Eastern Europe, William Zhao (LCC China Comfort, China) for the APAC region, Cashio Vettom (LCC Khimji’s House of Travel, Oman) for the MEA region, Volker Wüst (LCC Reisebüro Wüst, Germany) as second representative for shareholder LCR. 

 

The Advisory Board was elected in February 2024 by all international LCC travel agencies. It bundles the interests of all 300 international LCC entrepreneurs in 104 countries outside Germany. It advises the international LCC Headquarters in the future product and service portfolio and serves as spokesperson for all leisure and corporate requirements of the network. To harness the power of an empowered global corporate strategy, the Advisory Board will focus on intensifying LCCs focus on sustainability, NDC compliance, MICE sector growth, and advanced technology integration, aiming to amplify business synergies within the network.

 

On the first constitutional meeting held 28 February in Frankfurt, Ana Maria Silva from LCC Hansaperu Travel in Lima, Peru has been elected Vice Chairwoman. Jan van Steen continues to chair the Advisory Board, a role he responsibly held for the previous 6 years already. 

Martina Groenegres, Managing Director LCCI states: ”With our broad network of 104 countries, each Advisory Board Member plays a crucial role in providing diverse global per-spectives from different cultural, economic, and geopolitical markets to help us navigate the complexities or our industry, changing customer needs and global synergies between our members. Guidance from this group of experienced and knowledgeable local entrepreneurs is inevitable to the success of our network.”

 

Jan van Steen, chairman of the Advisory Board comments: “It is my primary goal as Advisory Board to navigate the evolving and changing needs of global corporate travel and technology needs while maintaining a steadfast commitment to exceptional customer satisfaction across our network.” Ana Maria Silva, vice chairwoman continues: “At the same time, NDC as well as the empowered cooperation between LCC members are key to our future success. For me, the fusion of cutting-edge solutions with human expertise truly propels progress forward, ensuring travel innovation that is both intelligent and empathetic – and this is the big benefit we at LCC bring. Here is where I see my major contribution in the board by further developing business potentials inside this network.”

 

 

 

Lufthansa City Center (LCC) is the world's largest independent network in the travel agency market with 580 offices in 105 countries and a total turnover of 5.98 billion Euros (business year 2023). LCC is active in the leisure (tourism) and corporate (business travel) sectors. The chain of owner-managed medium-sized travel agencies includes 280 offices with around 1,800 employees in Germany. Outside of its home market Germany (which is operated by the German franchisor Lufthansa City Center Reisebüropartner GmbH), the travel agency network employs around 4,500 people in 300 offices. Responsible for all world-wide agencies is Lufthansa City Center International GmbH, the international franchisor located in Frankfurt/Germany. Lufthansa City Center offer a global programme with local relevance to nurture the cultural differences and dynamics required in each market. A global presence with local capabilities ensures the best opportunity for delivering excep-tional customer service. Further information is available at lufthansa-city-center.com/en.