THE Government has pledged £1 million to EnglandNet to
develop an e-business facility – but operators are still in the dark about how
the service will operate.
Announcing the funding at the British Travel Trade
Fair last week, tourism minister Richard Caborn said the money will be used to
develop tourism booking facilities on EnglandNet – a national distribution
system for tourism product and information.
The facility – a partnership between VisitBritain and
England’s regional tourist boards – allows tourism websites and businesses to
deliver online information and can also be accessed via travel agents’ own
websites.
However, Hoseasons chief executive Richard Carrick was
concerned that if suppliers have to distribute through EnglandNet it could mean
the facility becomes profit making.
“It’s great the Government is putting money into
tourism. But it is unclear what the cost of doing business on EnglandNet is
going to be.”
VisitBritain said any profits would be put back into
marketing England.
According to EnglandNet managing director Paul
Byerley, any product can be distributed through EnglandNet, as long as it has
been quality assessed and graded. But whether the final portals sell individual
products will depend on how much the supplier can afford to pay in commission.
Many suppliers will also have to pay commission to
Destination Management Systems. EnglandNet said it has no control over the
commission
the DMSs charge.
DMSs are usually the regional tourist boards that
gather the content for EnglandNet.