BookaBed reports that is has made huge gains in the UK market in a short time. “The UK trade has been very responsive to BookaBed’s excellent rates and our content availability,” it said. “BookaBed has signed ‘Preferred’ supplier deals with both Advantage Travel Centres and The Travel Network Group and, in addition, has signed up to their respective electronic payment systems (CAPS and TAPS/ACAS), with all payments being made on a ‘post departure’ basis.
Darren Hall, Head of Sales UK, said: “The signing of these leading consortia groups was integral to our development plans to establish the brand in the UK. We are delighted to be working with them and providing their respective members with a serious trade-only alternative in this market sector, with a commitment to delivering competitive pricing, extensive product offering and first-class service.
“Since signing the commercial deals the support from the consortia members has been fantastic and we have already started to forge a number of meaningful relationships with individual members, along with co-ordinating our marketing activity plans with head office.
“The next stage is to develop ‘XML’ integration into the Advantage ‘Gate-Way’ and The Travel Network’s ‘Honeycombe’ systems.”
Negotiations with other trade groups are at an advance stage, with further ‘preferred’ partnerships to be announced in the near future.
UK travel agents can access BookaBed’s hotel and transfer products by logging on to the website and completing registration application or by contacting Darren Hall by email to [email protected]. Travel agents can set up single username and password word for their entire branch or have individual staff passwords.
As BookaBed is based in Ireland, there is no VAT on commission for UK travel agents. The company is also planning to launch in Australia and the USA during 2013.
