| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 10/07/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 57 |
| Copyright: Other |
Holiday wizard by Matt Bond
Operators sign up to Web service
Brochure choice increases as more companies strike deals with ordering business
Web checkwww.holidaywizard.co.uk
Information given:although it is not yet possible to flick through the brochures themselves – plans are afoot to change this – the site provides you with a picture of the front cover and a brief description of the product on offer. From here you can choose to have the brochure sent directly to your home or in some cases downloaded to your e-mail system. The specials andlate-availability page has deals from operators and, although the site doesn’t allow you to book on-line, their are links to operator sites with most offering on-line booking facilities. Each of the specialist links such as active, city breaks and luxury are very comprehensive and there is a wide range of brochures available to order, ranging from the larger operators such as Kuoni to more specialist operators. The search can be further narrowed down by choosing a destination.
On-line booking facility: no, although it is possible through operator’s own sites.
E-mail contact: there is a link on the site through which the company can be contacted. Users fill in their e-mail address and they will then receive free news and updates.
Overall impression: well designed and easy to navigate. The site not only lets you view certain brochures but, because of links to other travel related sites, it is verycomprehensive andthorough. A useful starting point for consumers planning a holiday.
Marks out of 10: nine, if you could look through the brochures the mark would be 10.
On-line brochure service Holiday Wizard has struck deals with seven new tour operators in the past six weeks bringing the total number of companies on its books to 60.
Managing director Matt Gillam, who launched the service last summer, said he plans to represent the whole industry eventually.
“There is a long way to go and we have only scratched the surface but we are working on representing the entire industry,” he said.
The site, which allows consumers to order their holiday brochures on-line, attracts 10,000 visitors a week. So far, the service has been responsible for the despatch of over 60,000 brochures, resulting in holiday sales of around £2m.
Operators that have signed up within the past 12 months include Kuoni, Royal Caribbean International, Neilson Active and Swan Hellenic.
Newcomers to the site include Middle East specialist Peltours, off-beat specialist Yes Travel, Isle of Wight-based Regent Holidays and Welcome Cottage Holidays.
Peltours, which launched its own Internet site eight weeks ago, believes the site is just one way in which tour operators can capitalise on the potential of the Internet.
Peltours.com managing director Cian Kealy said: “People who do not open up a little bit more to the Internet are going to be the losers. We will always have our brochure but it will have to be a little bit more innovative.”
Holiday Wizard recently started a special offers page allowing operators to list all their latest special offers on the site.
It also distributes an electronic newsletter to consumers every three weeks via e-mail. It covers travel news, tips, information on new clients and offers to help visitors keep up to date.
Although Gillam claims he is not out to replace the travel agent, he says Holiday Wizard was founded because he had poor experiences with agents and wanted to have more choice in holiday buying decisions.
“Initially it was because of the sheer inconvenience of getting brochures from travel agents. But we are not replacing agencies, we’re a technical company first and foremost positioned at the beginning of the holiday cycle,” he said.
“I started uncovering all these interesting tour operators I wouldn’t have known existed had I gone to a travel agent.
“I believe the site gives operators such as these access to a wider audience .”
Holiday Wizard: insists it is primarily a technical company and it is not out to replace the travel agent