| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 10/07/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 6 |
| Copyright: Other |
Urbanweb and Globus Group to name accommodation in last-minute offers
New joint venture sets sights on lates market
Report by STEVE JONES
CALL-centre operation Urbanweb has consolidated its close ties with the Globus Group by launching a joint venture tour operating arm, Tailor-made Holidays by Phone.It will focus on selling named accommodation in the lates market this summer, using discounted flights.
The links with Globus will give the new operation guaranteed access to airline seats through Monarch, while bed stock and resort services will be provided by Cosmos.
Globus, which already has a stake in Urbanweb’s call-centre business in Manchester, will also bond the operation. Accommodation will be contracted directly from resort or from other tour operators looking to off-load distressed stock.
Urbanweb managing director Steve Endacott admitted the operation will need to build its own supply of room stock. “We will buy premium accommodation from all major tour operators but we must assume this may not always be the case,” he said.
Initially, approximately 15% of its product will be in-house stock.
Endacott said selling named accommodation holidays in the lates market will appeal to customers who are not looking for a cheap deal.
“Operators have traditionally concentrated on selling allocation on arrival in the lates market. However, they are ignoring the fact that not everybody booking late is doing so on price,” he said. “Many people want quality accommodation and a convenient flight.”
The operation will target the youth market in Greece and Spain with holidays to Florida also featured. Endacott said the initial sales targets of 15,000 have been scaled down to 5,000 given the amount of discounted stock in the market.
Joint enterprise: Cosmos managing director Nigel Wright, left, and Holidays by Phone managing director Steve Endacott celebrate their new business operation