SatoTravel announced today it has been awarded a major contract to serve the official and leisure travel requirements of the U.S. Army in Europe (USAREUR).

Over an expected five-year term, the contract value could exceed $400 million.

Under the terms of the contract, SatoTravel will provide travel services in Germany, Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands through more than 20 staffed on-site offices.

According to Lawrence Hough, CEO of SatoTravel, "Winning the USAREUR contract is a significant victory for SatoTravel. It underscores our position as the preeminent travel provider to the U.S. armed services and reflects our aggressive marketplace stance as an innovative travel management provider to military, U.S. government, and commercial customers."

SatoTravel, headquartered in Arlington, Va., combines almost 50 years of experience and leading travel-related technology to provide high-quality, low-cost travel-management services. SatoTravel was purchased earlier this year from 11 domestic airlines by an investment group headed by Ambassadors International Inc., Stuart Mill Capital Inc., and GE Pension Trust.

In addition to airline tickets, the company provides hotel and car rental reservations, data collection, meeting and convention planning, and leisure travel services. SatoTravel operates two state-of-the-art call centers one in Sterling, Va., and the other in Seattle, Wash.

Travel services are provided through more than 1,500 staffed and automated locations in all 50 states, various U.S. possessions, and 18 foreign countries. SatoTravel presently has approximately 2,000 employees.