P6 news Sept11 9/9/09 21:11 Page 6
news
ttglive.com
Co-op considers placing
deals on new site Hotelly
Martin Ferguson.
agents’ service, which determines their position
THE CO-OPERATIVE Travel looks set to throw in search results.
Hotelly.co.uk’s
its weight behind a new holiday website that Rowland said the margins to be made from backers say it will be
combines price comparison with user ratings of the site appeared to be quite small but he was a unique one-stop
products and agents. hoping it would deliver high volumes. shop allowing
Distribution director Alistair Rowland (pictured) “It’s a different twist on the aggregation customers to
confirmed that the company’s homeworking market,” he said. “It creates stock, it creates research products
division, Future Travel, was in talks with calls and allows the user to choose the agency.” and prices and book
Hotelly.co.uk about becoming a supplier agent. Endacott and Cheevers believe the site through an agent.
The US-owned website, fronted in the UK offers an alternative sales chan- The website:
by On Holiday Group managing director nel to Teletext, which is being ■ displays holidays uploaded by partner agents
Steve Endacott and former Teletext taken off analogue television. ■ aggregates customer reviews of hotels and
boss Matt Cheevers, allows agents to But Rowland said the new resorts from the internet
upload offers. site was unlikely to generate ■ offers video reviews
The site dynamically packages the enough leads to replace those ■ ranks search results based on price and
content for consumers using no-frills, lost when Teletext shuts down. quality of review
charter and scheduled airlines, “Everyone is looking for the ■ is self-policing: the site allows customers
and bed banks. next Teletext,” he said. to grade service – the best agents get top
Agents must guarantee to “But it was a single medium search results
sell holidays at a minimum that everyone knew and had a ■ has 10 agency launch partners
rate pre-agreed with the site’s reputation built up over years. ■ commits agents to sell at price displayed
bosses. Customers then rate Online is more complex.”
Freedom deal for Travelzest shares
Holiday Holiday resume trading
FREEDOM Travel Group members could reap new TRAVELZEST has successfully raised the
marketing benefits after its parent company, £5.7 million it needed to keep trading.
The Co-operative Travel, signed a deal with the The group, which owns itravel2000 and
Holiday Holiday website. several specialist operators, suspended its
The agreement will enable Freedom’s home- shares from the Alternative Investment Market
workers to upload and sell individual elements (Aim) last month following a £2 million shortfall
or holidays on the website, which is already used in raising share capital.
by homeworkers of Future Travel, Co-op Travel’s Senior management flew out to Canada to try
other homeworking division. to sort out refinancing and the group this week
Jane Atkins, managing director of Freedom confirmed it had the cash it needed to carry on.
Travel Group and Future Travel, said the number Shares resumed trading on Aim on Wednesday.
of offers available on the website had increased Chief executive Jonathan Carroll said: “This
from 65,000 to four million in two months. has been a challenging six months for Travelzest
“Holiday Holiday has proved to be an excellent USAIN BOAT: Mattie Orvis of Andrew as we have restructured our business. Our re-
route to market for both our independent agents Earle’s World of Travel and Thomas Cook’s vised strategy will build on the group’s strong po-
and homeworkers,” she said. Claire Tuck were among agents invited to sition in the markets in which it operates.”
Emma Healey from Epsilon Media, owners board Jamaica Lightning Bolt (named after “We are delighted with the support that
of the website, said the decision to partner with Usain Bolt), the Jamaica Tourist Board’s we have received from our shareholders and
Co-op was partly due to the financial protection entry to the Clipper Round the World Race. bankers. We have set a clear direction and have
it offered customers. Agents see Bolt: Days in the Lives, p72 positioned the group to succeed.”
06 11.09.2009
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