Triton members could make an additional £29 million in commission this year by using the super-consortium’s new reservation system Triton Search.
Triton bosses claimed the potential of Triton Search was “mammoth” and would offset projected £18 million losses as a result of cuts by Thomson Holidays and First Choice Holidays.
Triton head of Independent Options Roger Cross said: “Triton business for Thomson and First Choice last year, if projected forward to this year, would lose you £18 million in commission. I don’t know if anyone can afford to lose that amount of money.”
Through Triton Search agents can book package holidays or dynamically packaged holidays. Packages are booked on viewdata but are biased in favour of preferred suppliers – exclusive offers will be colour-coded to help members maximise margins.
Through the package holidays section agents can access Triton Holidays, the consortium’s own tour operator, which pays 15% commission and compares its prices with brochured holidays. The system will only find a match where it can offer a cheaper holiday.
Triton Holidays, which is being tested by selected agents and costs £15 per agent user, has been shown to earn agents up to 40% more in commission.
Triton director and Global Travel Group chief executive Andrew Botterill said it will enable agents to fight back against cheap operator deals online. “We have the ability to bring web prices to the high street. What we don’t want to do is cannibalise our own preferred operators.”
But agents demanded Triton speed up its plans to load prices of transfers and in-flight meals on to the system. Pric
es are not likely to come online until after the system has been launched to agents. Meanwhile, the tailor-made section allows agents to put components together to create an ATOL-bonded holiday for 15% commission. The airfares section includes no-frills, charters, consolidated and published fares, with the latter two offered at 10% commission, while rooms are bookable at 15% commission.
Triton Search costs £15 per month per agency user.
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