Checkfront, the Victoria-based software company crafting booking sites for tourism, has merged with a fellow tourism software outfit: the Australian company Rezdy. The deal was signed at travel extravaganza Arival’s Bangkok stop in June. But, the link-up has been in the works for five years.

“We always felt that we were two really well-suited businesses to come together, two really strong trusted brands, each having the industry at heart in terms of what we’re trying to achieve,” Rezdy CEO Chris Atkin told Arival.

“At every conference, we would make sure [to] connect and talk about making this happen,” Checkfront CEO Jason Morehouse wrote on LinkedIn. “Our company cultures, industry perspectives, and scale aligned so closely despite being on opposite sides of the world. We know this was the right move; it was just timing. We are stronger together, and combining our companies will benefit our shared customers, team, products, industry, and strategic position, with extensive regional presence and diverse verticals. And now, we finally find ourselves here, ready to embark on this journey together. How cool is that?”

Atkin and Morehouse also confirmed to Arival that both businesses will continue to operate as their own brands. What the two companies will focus on, then, is improving customer support and adding new features, given their new collective might. Further, the terms of the merger are undisclosed. But, Pender Ventures principal Kenndal McArdle noted involvement in a LinkedIn post and teased that more announcements are forthcoming.