IMAP advised the shareholder of proQuest Computersysteme GmbH, the company behind airQuest, a high-performance flight fulfillment software solution, on the sale to the French Travelsoft. By acquiring airQuest, Travelsoft strengthens its position in the German travel market and expands its end-to-end air distribution capabilities, from NDC connectivity to ticketing, servicing, and reconciliation. The transaction represents a key step in Travelsoft’s long-term strategy to deliver fully integrated air solutions and accelerate growth in core European markets.
The airQuest team, led by the founder and CEO Ulrich Sambeth, will continue to operate with full focus on client service and product innovation. With the addition of airQuest, Travelsoft strengthens the depth and coverage of its air capabilities across the entire travel value chain. This acquisition also accelerates Travelsoft’s expansion in Germany, building on the strong presence of Traffics among travel agencies and Atcore, which already serves major German tour operators.
Based in Essen, proQuest Computersysteme GmbH develops airQuest, a fully automated system for the booking, ticketing, fare automation servicing, and accounting of scheduled flights. airQuest serves leading German tour operators and other major European travel companies requiring industrial-grade air fulfillment capabilities. The company focuses on high reliability, automation depth, and the ability to handle complex and large-scale flight operations.
Travelsoft is a leading Travel SaaS group founded in Paris in 2000. Its technologies power more than €40 billion in annual bookings for travel players in over 90 countries. The company focuses on automating sourcing, packaging, booking, and connectivity, enabling travel businesses to scale efficiently and focus on growth. Travelsoft employs around 700 travel technology experts and unites ten platforms, including Atcore, Orchestra, Tigerbay, Traffics, Travel Compositor, Travel Connection Technology, Travelgate, Travelsoft Pay, Travelsoft Services, and Eventiz.
“Our team has built airQuest into one of Europe’s most reliable and comprehensive ticketing and flight fulfillment system. Joining Travelsoft allows us to accelerate our product vision, benefit from a global technology ecosystem, and bring even more value to our clients. We will continue to operate with the same commitment to quality and reliability, now with the scale and investment capacity of Travelsoft behind us. I would like to thank Birgit and Andreas who accompanied me through the entire process in a very committed and competent manner and whose professional and dedicated support was outstanding,” said Ulrich Sambeth, founder and CEO of proQuest/airQuest.
The IMAP team, Andreas Widholz and Birgit Roosileht, exclusively advised the shareholder of proQuest as part of a structured M&A process through all phases to the successful closing.
