James Diaz, former UK head of Travel Planet, has launched Absolute Travel Management
A new UK-based travel management company targeting the SME sector has officially launched today.
Absolute Travel Management is headed by CEO and founder James Diaz, the former UK head of Travel Planet.
Diaz says his new TMC will transform how SMEs navigate the complexities of business travel, combining technology and high-touch service and “eliminating rigid, ‘computer-says-no’ processes”.
The business has multi-GDS capability and is booking tool agnostic, but is launching with Atriis and Mesh – for which it is the UK launch TMC – and offers omnichannel communications via phone, email, live chat and WhatsApp. Ticket fulfilment will be managed and delivered inhouse.
Based in London, the TMC is collaborating with Global Travel Collection, a division of the Internova Group, and benefit from its network of industry partners and accreditations.
According to the company, it closed an oversubscribed seed investment round in late 2024 and drew support from customer experience solutions business OpsTalent.
Diaz, who also has extensive experience at American Express Global Business Travel, is joined by head of services, Mark Firth, and operational director, Emma Mawson.
“I am truly humbled by the support and encouragement we’ve received from the industry as we prepared for this launch,” said Diaz. “This reinforces our belief that the market is ready for a fresh, innovative player. Having a solid pipeline of clients already in implementation is a fantastic position for a new entrant.”
The company did not name any customers but added that further collaborations and announcements are on the horizon.
Francesca Mendola, vice president of Global Travel Collection, added: “We are honoured to support James and the Absolute team as they embark on this exciting journey. With their strong leadership, innovative approach, and deep commitment to customer excellence, Absolute is well-positioned to make a significant impact in the SME travel market.”