SUNCARS is to launch an Internet site for its car-rental product which it will promote to the trade and not the general public.
The Unijet-owned operator sells 95% of its product through the trade and said it has no plans to alter that figure when it launches the site before Christmas.
Suncars general manager John Briggs said: “The site will be very much agent-based and agent friendly. It will have the ability to serve both agents and the public but we will not promote the site to the public like we will to the trade.”
Agents will be asked to enter their ABTA number so they can be recognised as trade and then a booking can be made.
Briggs said the primary function of the site was to help the operator’s general sales agents around the world who currently e-mail reservations into head office. When the site is up and running, they will be able to enter reservations directly.
Briggs said he was well aware agents so far have been shying away from the Internet but believed this would change.
“We all know viewdata has a limited lifespan and it’s a question of what will take its place and no-one knows the answer. The Internet is an option and we want to keep ahead with that in case it does replace viewdata for agents,” he said.
“Even if only a handful of agents use it at first, it will be a bonus. Around 10-15 of our travel agency partners give us about 50% of our business. If we can convert them, that’s progress.”
The Suncars site will also feature hot links to travel agents’ own Internet sites.
n Suncars has launched its training manual for agents which includes taxi fare comparison and an A-Z explanation of how to sell car hire.
The operator’s new brochure for summer 2000 is also currently being sent out to agents.