Inbound tour operator JacTravel has announced it is to supply product to the UK trade for the first time.
The decision will see the firm’s 6,000 directly-contracted city hotels in more than 550 cities worldwide available to travel agents. Deals have been agreed with leading UK distributors and retailers including Thomas Cook’s Hotels4U, agency consortium Advantage Travel Centres and Traveltek.
JacTravel will provide real time hotel rates and availability via xml feeds 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Depending on the distributor, JacTravel’s inventory is available on a net rate or commissionable basis.
Terry Williamson, JacTravel’s chief operating officer, said: “JacTravel’s 35-year heritage is as an inbound operator and as such, it has focused on international markets for its distribution supported by an unequalled portfolio of UK city centre hotels.
“We have over the last few years developed our worldwide offering which with a recent drive to increase the number of hotels we contract, particularly in European and US cities, we now have a product range that is sufficiently strong to appeal to the UK market too.”
JacTravel has plans to increase its portfolio to over 10,000 hotels this year, it said. To support its service to the trade, JacTravel has recruited three additional sales executives to work with UK travel agents.
Doug Turner, head of distribution at Hotels4U, said: “I am delighted to add a further 6,000 properties to enhance our city range.
“What we particularly like about JacTravel is its depth in destinations, which ensures we receive an excellent range of product at good rates and availability to compliment our current city offering.”