(Ephrata, PA - October 1, 2002)  MTS TRAVEL announced today that it has acquired Mission Travel from STS Travel Enterprises, Inc. The move brings together two leaders in the not-for-profit travel niche. "We're very excited about the talent and expertise that the Mission Travel team brings to the table," stated Kermit Yoder, President and CEO of MTS TRAVEL. "They have a solid foundation in the not-for-profit niche and their expertise in group travel dovetails perfectly with our plans to continually expand our group focus." "We see this as a win-win-win situation," explains Stuart Schantz, president of STS Travel. "With the collective buying power and resources of the $80M+ MTS TRAVEL organization, Mission Travel customers will have access to even better pricing while still enjoying the high level of service that is the foundation of Mission Travel and, importantly, the entire MTS TRAVEL brand. Given a rapidly changing industry, we believe that our locations and the larger MTS TRAVEL family are well positioned for ongoing, profitable growth." Over the past few years, the travel industry has seen dynamics that have lead to a number of mergers and acquisitions. As this shakeout continues, it will be the established leaders with a proven record of bringing real value to their customers that will emerge as the winners. Founded in 1990, Mission Travel, which has offices in Raleigh and Miami, specializes in group travel, catering primarily to a short-term mission and humanitarian relief clientele. MTS TRAVEL is the U.S. leader in the church, missions and not-for-profit travel market. Additional business units include tours, vacations, meetings management, and business travel. With headquarters in Ephrata (Lancaster County), Pennsylvania, MTS TRAVEL has 10 other branch offices located from coast to coast. The company was incorporated in 1955 and has approximately 175 employees.