35 | First in Service Travel

First in Service Travel
2022 sales: $287 million
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Employees: 59 full-time, 5 part-time

444 Madison Ave., Suite 3000
New York, NY 10022
Phone: (212) 398-6555
Website

Executives

CEO/CO-OWNER: Fernando Gonzalez
PRESIDENT/CO-OWNER: Erika Reategui

Company facts

* Privately held company owned by Erika Reategui (51%) and Fernando Gonzalez (49%) since 1991.

* Global network of advisors and affiliates in Canada, Colombia, France, Mexico, Portugal, Spain and U.S., with six offices in a shared-services environment.

* Services 181 independent contractors (known as VICs).

* Sales: 50% business, 35% leisure, 15% entertainment and production, all in the premium segment.

* Overall sales figure includes First in Service Canada, First in Service Colombia, First in Service Spain.

* A member of Virtuoso.

2022 Developments

* Surpassed prepandemic figures with double-digit growth.

* Focused on VIC partnerships, which represent 93% of gross sales globally.

* Expanded Toronto office.

* Restructured with assignment of four senior VP positions and dedicated regional branch leaders.

* Expanded shared-service model branded 1GN (1 Global Network) to support integrated network of six offices.

* Exponentially grew meetings/events in the corporate and leisure spaces.

Looking ahead

* Expanding into Latin America with launch of Mexico operation and further developing EU market.

* Relocating, expanding New York headquarters as well as the Miami branch to Coconut Grove.

* Establishing F1RST Solutions with dedicated development team to enhance tech stack.

* Transitioning to integrated global back-office and CRM suite, enhancing the 1GN integrated platform.

* Hosted its F1RST SUMM1T, bringing together top 100 advisors and 50 top supplier partners.

* Projecting sales to increase by 30%, year over year. 

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