YOUR TRAVEL EXPERTS

With a history that begins back in 1958, Morris Columbus Travel, LLC, is the largest privately-owned leisure travel agency in the Intermountain area. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT, Morris Columbus Travel has offices in Utah and Montana as well as independent advisors across the United States. Together we work to bring the best travel experiences to everyone with whom we work. Give us a call at 801-999-4646 to plan your trip today.

MORRIS COLUMBUS TRAVEL THROUGH THE YEARS

Morris Columbus Travel began in 1958 when The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) approached Franklin Murdock about starting an agency to handle the travel needs of its employees and missionaries. The modern Morris Columbus Travel is the result of combining multiple other travel companies, including the 1996 merger of Morris Travel and Beehive Tours and Travel and the 2000 merger of Morris Travel and Murdock Travel.

The company also developed from several acquisitions, including Seattle’s Diamond Travel in 1995, Corporate Travel Services in 1996, and Utah’s LDS Travel Study—a provider of LDS faith-based travel—in November 2008. In 1984, Morris Travel started Morris Air, which chartered flights from Utah to Hawaii and Mexico. Due to its growth, Morris Air was sold in 1995 to Southwest Airlines. Morris Murdock sold its business travel division to Hess Travel in January 2009 in order to better serve its corporate clients. We also offer privileged hotel rates at more than 20,000 hotels and resorts all over the world. This is all part of the priority we place in making your hotel stay a memorable experience. That’s the difference of travel with Morris Columbus Travel. It’s more than a room, exquisite dining, or unforgettable service. It’s about taking good care of you before you ever check in.

As the oldest and largest privately owned leisure travel agency in Utah and the Intermountain region of the United States, Morris Murdock became an associate of Carlson Wagonlit Travel in 2002 and joined the American Express U.S. Representative Travel Network in July 2007. In the first quarter of 2010, Morris Murdock Travel left American Express and joined the Signature Travel Network, an international network of 190 agencies that generates $4 billion in annual travel sales. In 2022, Morris Murdock Travel merged with Columbus Travel, solidifying its current name and broadening its reach.

DIVISIONS

Morris Columbus Travel, LLC has several business divisions to serve our various customers: Morris Columbus Travel for our leisure travelers, Morris Murdock Escorted Tours, Morris Meetings & Incentives, Black Pearl Luxury Services, and the SOLO Independent Contractor Program.

Morris Murdock Escorted Tours (MMET) is the group travel department of Morris Columbus Travel. It specializes in hosted vacation tours and cruises to destinations using experienced guides and directors. Formed as a separate company in 1958, MMET was the first tour operator to offer Latter-day Saint (LDS) faith-based and church history escorted tours. Since its inception, the group has expanded its offerings to include humanitarian, educational, historical, shopping-focused, incentive, and other theme-oriented cruises and tours. The company often selects tour guides that are considered experts in their field or celebrities with an attachment to the destination or tour’s theme.

Morris Meetings & Incentives (MMI) originally started in 1996 as a group leisure branch of Morris Murdock Travel. In 1998, it was formed into a separate company to better serve its clientele. The company focuses on specialized programs for incentive groups, meetings, conferences, and executive retreats. Its proprietary software—called ORCHID—was specifically developed to provide clients with online registration. In July 2009, The Housing Connection, LLC purchased ORCHID Event Solutions to bolster their online registration and housing services with MMI, maintaining close ties to the company.

Black Pearl Luxury Services is a division of Morris Columbus Travel that focuses on luxury, exotic, F.I.T. (foreign independent travel), and higher-end travel. The group provides concierge services for travelers, including event ticket assistance, personal shopping, dining reservations, destination information, car and air charters, household services, and health and recreation services.

The SOLO Independent Contractor Program is a program developed by Morris Columbus to provide an avenue of support for independent travel consultants. It allows travel advisors to create their own “company” under the umbrella of Morris Columbus Travel. Morris Columbus has operated the program since 1994 and currently works with over 30 independent contractors by providing access to the agency’s booking systems, vendor relationships, and industry training.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

At Morris Columbus Travel, our team always strives to exceed your expectations. We are honored to have been recognized for excellence in each facet of our service. Our goal is to continue to bring our customers the best travel experiences possible and to improve our services each year. Thank you to all of our customers and travelers for your continued support.

Signature Summit Club Top Producer Award 2015–2023
Funjet 500 Club Platinum Member 2015–2023
Princess Cruise Lines President’s Club Award 2015–2023
Viking River Cruises Platinum Circle 2019–2023
Delta Vacation Diamond Top Producer 2015–2023
Norwegian Cruise Lines Partner of the year 2017
Norwegian President’s Club 2017–2023
Western Region Travel Agency of the Year Royal Caribbean International 2017
Royal Caribbean International Top Producer 2017–2023
Annual Power List Travel Weekly 2023
Utah’s Best of State Award 2020–2023
Disney Travel “Earmarked” Top Producer 2015–2023