Travel agents say they are more likely to work with Med Hotels following its acquisition by the Thomas Cook Group.
The deal announced last week will be completed next month after it was sold by previous owner lastminute.com for an undisclosed sum.
Although, Elite PR and marketing manager Peter Buckell said he expects youtravel.com to remain the consortium’s number one supplier, Med Hotels should become its second or third best-selling bed bank, largely because of its new owner’s ability to resolve problems and the financial protection it offers.
Bookable Holidays managing director Jason Dwyer agreed, adding: “We’ll certainly use [Thomas Cook’s ownership] as a unique selling point.”
Kinver Travel director Michelle Pereira said the agency would be more inclined to sell Med Hotels stock as it is no longer owned by a direct competitor which often undercuts high- street agents with online deals.
Buckell also denied claims in the bed bank sector that the deal could see prices increase by £2 per person per night as the Thomas Cook seeks to increase its margins in a move expected to be copied by other bed banks.
He added: “The bed banks have got to compete with package holidays and that’s always the problem, you need to be really cheap to compete with packages these days and TUI Travel and Thomas Cook will carve you up if you’re not.”