UK online travel agency Loveholidays is to source accommodation in the US and Caribbean from global travel wholesaler Tourico Holidays.
The US-based firm has almost 30,000 hotels contracted in the US and more than 1,000 in Caribbean countries and claims to be able to secure “industry-leading” rates due to its buying power.
The deal comes as Tourico’s latest data shows that hotel bookings from the UK to the US rose by more than 10% year-on-year in 2016. There were also major increases to Caribbean islands such as Aruba (up 93%), Barbados (up 79%), Dominican Republic (up 85%), Jamaica (up 118%), Turks and Caicos (up 76%), plus Bermuda (up 111%.
Loveholidays purchasing director, Theo Demetriou, said: “We’ve seen a healthy demand for transatlantic trips from our customers, and by integrating Tourico’s massive portfolio of US and Caribbean hotels, we’re better positioned for fulfillment.
“The new partnership will help loveholidays grow incrementally, in a sustainable manner, while continuing to put our customers first.”
Tourico Holidays UK, Ireland and Scandinavia sales director, Emma Weber, added: “Loveholidays is the perfect example of how a growing travel business can be nimble and resourceful to capitalise on shifts in the marketplace.
“They recognised that UK travellers were seeking US and Caribbean vacations, so they quickly engaged with Tourico, and now they’re delivering thousands of hotel options at prices you can’t find anywhere else.”