2/9/2009
BURSCH TRAVEL WINS AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL 2009 REPRESENTATIVE EXCELLENCE AWARD

AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL ANNOUNCES 2009

REPRESENTATIVE EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS

U.S. Representative Agency Winners Honored for Superior Sales and Year-Over-Year Growth

NEW YORK, February 11, 2010– American Express Travel has announced that 25 agency members of its U.S. Representative Travel Network have earned the prestigious Representative Excellence Award for 2009.

The Representative Excellence Award honors the achievements of the Representative Travel Network member agencies that have reached superior sales results driving cruise and tour supplier goals or have secured the highest year-over-year sales growth.

"We are excited to recognize these dedicated travel agent partners for their outstanding contribution to our customers, as well as their dedication and hard work,” said Ellen Bettridge, vice president, U.S. Retail Travel Network, American Express Travel. "The 25 agencies selected have represented the American Express brand in an exemplary fashion and delivered extraordinary results in 2009, a challenging year for the industry in general."

This year's Representative Excellence Award winners are:

Adventure Travel – Pompano Beach, FL
ALTOUR – New York City, NY
Americas Vacation Center -  Miami, FL
Azumano Travel – Portland, OR
Bursch Travel – Alexandria, MN
Carrousel Travel – Minneapolis, MN
CI Travel – Norfolk, VA
Cruise Planners – Coral Springs, FL
Cruises-NMore – Lake Mary, FL
Corporate Travel Solutions -  Minnetonka, MN
Fox World Travel – Oshkosh, WI
Mann Travel – Charlotte, NC
Milne Travel – Barre, VT
Passageways Travel- Traverse City, MI
Pennsylvania Travel Inc. – Paoli, PA
Prestige Travel & Cruises – Las Vegas, NV
Prestige Travel – Hazlet, NJ

Santa Barbara Travel Bureau Inc. – Santa Barbara, CA
Springdale Travel – Birmingham, AL
Summit Travel Group – San Mateo, CA
Sunrise Travel Center -  Sea Girt, NJ
Suzi Davis Travel – Bloomington, IL
The Travel Authority – Jeffersonville, IN
Travel Team Inc. – Buffalo, NY
Travelink, Incorporated – Nashville, TN

About American Express Travel:

American Express entered the travel agency business in 1915, and today operates one of the world's largest travel agency networks in more than 140 countries worldwide.

American Express Company (www.americanexpress.com) is a leading global payments, network and travel company founded in 1850.