| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 19/06/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 80 |
| Copyright: Other |
World Travel Holdings to develop low-cost distribution system for agents
Freudmann appointed to advise on-line firm
Report by TANYA JEFFERIES
FORMER ABTA president Steven Freudmann has been appointed non-executive director of a new company which is developing a low-cost distribution system for agents.World Travel Holdings aims to offer small, independent agents cheap access to published and net airfares, viewdata and other services through a Web site, so that they do not have to rely on a global distribution system.
Freudmann said he had been invited to advise the company on the agents’ requirements and what they could afford, rather than try to sell the system, called Fare 1, directly to them.
He claimed that getting a reasonably priced distribution system on the market was important now that the International Air Transport Association has given agents a deadline of May 31 next year to become automated (Travel Weekly June 12).
“Lots of small agents can’t afford a GDS,” he said. “Fare 1 will be an extremely cost-effective way for retailers to make bookings. I gave up my GDS four years ago because it was costing me too much. You have to do a huge volume of business to make a GDS pay for itself.”
The cost of using the Fare 1 system has not been finalised for UK agents but a monthly subscription of just under $25 has been set in the US.
Fare 1 is due to launch in the US this August and to the UK trade during the ABTA Convention in Kos this October. The London-based firm is being demerged from its parent company, Culver Holdings, and is due to be floated on the London Stock Exchange next month.
Freudmann: will take an advisory role at World Travel Holdings