Merit Travel Group

Merit Travel Group has appointed Jason Merrithew as president of the Group’s wholesale and specialty leisure travel business. In his new role, Merrithew will oversee the Group’s flagship Merit Travel brand in addition to the operations of Travelcuts and Exclusive Tours. He will also leverage Merit’s recent partnership with H.I.S. Travel of Japan to significantly grow the leisure travel business in Canada and lead the international expansion of all three leisure travel brands. A graduate of Queen’s University, Merrithew has served as an advisor to several industry associations and has spoken extensively on the continued evolution of the travel industry and the critical role that travel consultants play for millennial travellers.

Merit Travel Group has also appointed Dirk Baerts as president, MeritBiz, the corporate travel management (CTM) arm of Canadian-based Merit Travel Group. Baerts will have overall responsibility for MeritBiz, leading the CTM teams and continuing to develop its offerings and services across North America. He will also be actively involved in the global expansion of the MeritBiz programs; working closely with the H.I.S.-Merit Travel leadership team on acquisitions and partnering initiatives with the local management at more than 200 wholly-owned H.I.S. Travel locations outside Japan. Baerts will be based in the Toronto head office. Prior to joining MeritBiz, Baerts worked for Egencia, Expedia’s corporate travel company, as managing director Canada since 2011, following his appointment as country manager in Belgium in 2009. Baerts has also held various senior management positions at leading technology companies in Europe, Asia and Japan.