A NEW eBay-style bidding website has been launched offering agents the chance to bid against the big tour operators for business.
Request a Quote, now being featured on consumer website Australiatravelmarket.com, invites consumers to list all the details of their desired break.
Operators and agents can then dynamically package the trips and bid for the business, leaving the customer to decide who to book with.
The facility has been in a testing period since it was introduced last month on the website, owned by Globaltravelmarket, and it will become fully functional by the end of next week.
Founder and managing director Dave Simmons said: “What we wanted to do was create a platform which would allow the biggest operator and the smallest agent in the country to compete on an equal basis.
“Now, thanks to this unique site, not only can they do this but the customer can be reassured they are being offered the best possible prices and have the peace of mind of choosing who they want to book with.”
He added so far six travel agencies have signed up to the site and negotiations are taking place with a further 12.
Once they have signed up for a fee of £100, they will receive an e-mail alert every time a customer requests a quote and can choose whether to bid or not.
Only companies who can prove they have the appropriate consumer protection can join.
Simmons said there has been good feedback from some large operators and he hopes to have at least 100 companies signed up for the facility. There are plans for a similar facility on an Asia specific website.
Australiatravelmarket.com was launched in February and is a travel search engine providing product specific to the destination as well as easy price comparisons.