Hills Balfour, the marketing communications agency specialising in travel and tourism, has been merged with Mmgy Global to create a new business in the integrated marketing sector.

Hills Balfour will continue to trade under its existing brand, providing continuity for clients, in tandem with the MMGY brand and services which will be introduced to Hills Balfour’s existing offices as MMGY London and MMGY Dubai.

Hills Balfour founder Amanda Hills will remain with the business, overseeing operations across London and Dubai as well as partnering with MMGY senior management in her new role as president.

Clayton Reid, chief executive  of MMGY Global said: “Expanding our presence beyond Madrid, Hills Balfour is the right step into Europe for us, and we see our foothold in the UK market as an excellent base to expand across the key European and Middle East tourism markets.”

Hills said: “Adding MMGY Global’s very comprehensive multi-disciplinary skillset to complement our existing roster of superb marcomms, PR, representation, creative, digital and advertising experience will provide a complete solution for the market and ensure ultimate recognition as the world’s largest global marketing firm specialising in travel and tourism.”

The process of integrating the operations of both businesses commencing this year and follows a string of acquisitions by MMGY over the past two years including DK Shifflet & Associates, Nancy J. Friedman Public Relations, Myriad Marketing and Spring O’Brien.