Passport Online Transforms with Leadership Shift and Upcoming Rebrand
Portland, Oregon – October 2024 – Passport Online, a leading travel technology provider, announces the early retirement of its President, Jeanne Colombo, effective November 1, 2024. Jeanne has chosen to retire to focus on a serious illness within her family. With an illustrious 35-year career in the travel industry, her contributions have been invaluable to both the company and the industry at large.
“We respect Jeanne’s decision and wish her and her family all the best during this challenging time,” said Sudhir Bhagwan, Passport Online Chairman and CEO. “We are grateful for her years of service and the positive impact she has had on our company. Jeanne has been a key member of our team for the past 13 years, significantly contributing to the company’s achievements. Her dedication and expertise have been instrumental in our success, and she will be greatly missed.”
Reflecting on her tenure, Jeanne shared, “It has been immensely gratifying to work for a company that consistently innovates and explores new channels, providing key products and services in the leisure travel industry. I am proud of the achievements we have made as we enter the last quarter of 2024.”
Passport has been providing technology solutions to the travel industry for more than 35 years. One of its core products is the rich travel content it collects from more than 100 of the leading cruise lines, tour operators, destinations, hotels and more.
Nearly 40,000 travel advisors and industry professionals depend on Passport Online’s database which includes:
- 23,000+ itineraries
- 195,000+ pricing options
- 10,000+ searchable global locations
- 60+ travel interests ranging from Accessible Travel to Women’s trips
So far in 2024, there have been over 6 million monthly impressions and a 25% click-through rate, proving the success of its destination mapping and interest-based search enhancements. Both advisors and consumers are not only finding the travel offers they seek but are also spending more time engaging with the specifics of each supplier’s itinerary.
Chairman and CEO Sudhir Bhagwan a former Intel executive and one of the initial investors in Passport Online, has also been a long-standing board member. Jeanne shares, “Sudhir brings a wealth of management expertise, and his solid background with Passport is a powerful combination to lead the company in expanding its reach and services within the travel industry. Sudhir is a strong leader guiding the company to new heights.”
In light of Jeanne’s retirement, Passport Online is using the opportunity to restructure for better alignment with its new 2025 programs. The company is pleased to announce the following internal promotions:
- Andrew Borst, previously VP of Technology, has been named Chief Technology Officer.
- Sarah Bauman, formerly Director Product Solutions, has been promoted to Vice President of Product Management.
- Christina Lynch, who served as Senior Operations Manager, is now Director of Operations.”
Sudhir added, “These promotions reflect our commitment to fostering talent from within and ensuring that our leadership team is well-equipped to drive our ambitious plans for the future. We are excited about the fresh perspectives and innovative ideas that Andrew, Sarah, and Christina will bring to their new roles.”
Looking ahead, Passport Online plans to rebrand with a new company name that more accurately showcases its suite of technological solutions. A new corporate website has already been launched, and upcoming initiatives include:
- Enhanced travel website solutions to improve user engagement
- White-label Content API products for seamless integration
- Additional custom web services tailored to client needs
- Re-imagined displays of hotel, destination, and supplier content
Sudhir continued, “There is much more to come. We are excited about a new endeavor that will be unveiled next year. With such a talented and dedicated team, 2025 is set to be a milestone year for Passport Online.”
As Passport Online looks ahead, the company remains dedicated to its mission of delivering cutting-edge travel technology solutions and pioneering innovations in the travel industry. The upcoming year promises to be transformative, with new initiatives set to propel the company forward.
About Passport Online
Passport Online is a leading provider of digital solutions for the leisure travel industry, specializing in website development, rich web content, email marketing, and social media strategies. As a major distribution channel, Passport Online helps leisure travel suppliers create, expand, and diversify their digital footprint by connecting with leading consortia, travel advisors, retail agencies, professional home-based agent networks, and their clients. The company enables millions of shopping sessions on thousands of travel agency websites each month. For more information, visit https://passportonlineinc.com..
Media Contact: Sarah Bauman. (503) 270-5851. SarahB@PassportOnlineInc.com