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August 2018
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The Allavita team, pictured at EBACE, whose multi-stranded expertise is all in-house, immediately available and global

Allavita formed from merger of ASA Group and L'Voyage

Asia-based The ASA Group (ASA) and L'Voyage have combined operations under the brand of Allavita. In a merger that seeks to capitalise on the region's double-digit growth in demand for private jet charter and ground services, Allavita will combine L'Voyage's expertise in travel curation and private jet charter with ASA's ground handling supervision, security and luxury concierge services.

ASA founder and chairman Simon Wagstaff will oversee all operations as chairman of Allavita, ASA Group and L'Voyage, supported by long-serving senior management colleague Julie Ambrose who becomes chief operating officer. L'Voyage founder Diana Chou will continue to be chairman of Dragon General Aviation Group (DGA), parent company of L'Voyage, overseeing customer relationships and data technology.

The business will merge staff from both companies and base its HQ in Hong Kong while maintaining offices in China, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Wagstaff says: "We are looking forward to consolidating our sales and on-the-ground operations to offer our clients a wider range of services in greater China and south east Asia."

Keeping up with Asia's fleet growth

According to a recent study Asia's business aircraft fleet is expected to grow by a compound annual growth rate of 13 per cent in greater China, 12 per cent in south Asia and six per cent in Asia Pacific up until 2027. And while the region's business aviation travel is still dominated by the luxury travel demands of its billionaires, a wide concern is that recruitment into the industry is not keeping up.

Chou says: "Enticing new talent is the biggest challenge we face in Asia. Combining skillsets and encouraging young people into the sector is one of our key objectives within this partner- ship. South Asia and greater China are expected to lead global growth over the next 20 years, but the business aviation sector needs to catch up to other markets. Switzerland, for example, has at least three registered business jets per billionaire compared with less than one jet per billionaire in China. Allavita is our response to this exciting development and to enticing new super class travellers."

Who's who

Chou is founder and chairman of the DGA Group, which holds interests in Hong Kong-headquartered L'Voyage; the official greater China representative and Bell Helicopter customer service facility Aerochine; and south east Asia aviation financing and consulting company Aero Infinity. She is a founding member of the Asian Business Aviation Association by whom she was named 'Business-woman Leader of the Year' in 2015. In 2010 and 2012 she was named 'Women Entrepreneur of the Year' by the All China Women's Federation. She also holds senior positions at a number of industry associations.

After retiring from the British army in 1993 where he was latterly a senior bomb disposal officer, Wagstaff joined Hong Kong-based Guardforce Group as manager, corporate security before launching an aviation security and manpower business for ICTS Asia Pacific in the Philippines. He went on to launch The ASA Group in 1999 and now sits on the board of directors of a number of aviation, security and bespoke travel companies.

Ambrose has been with The ASA Group for eight years, most recently serving as director of aviation. As COO of Allavita she will oversee all flight operations and services as well as global charter flight operations.

 

Contact details
L'Voyage
ASA South China