Midcounties Co-op Travel is poised to roll out an increased range of product thanks to its agents thanks to its tie-up with Barrhead Travel.
The increased range will include accommodation-only product and net fares for scheduled flights.
Already Midcounties agents are able to sell Barrhead’s own long-haul tour operator Travel Creator following the launch of joint buying group Venture in June last year.
Venture involves Midcounties and Barrhead negotiating deals with suppliers as a joint buying group, gives Midcounties agents access to Barrhead’s bespoke software system Nevis and allows Barrhead wider distribution of its directly-contracted stock.
The Nevis technology includes a front-end selling system as well as management tools to enable Midcounties to track all enquiries, sales, margins, and customer profiles.
Group general manager Alistair Rowland (pictured) said: “The Nevis system gives us access to net fares on scheduled flights which we didn’t have because we don’t have our own Iata licence and contracted beds that we didn’t have.
“We have access to better stock at better rates and Barrhead get bigger distribution.”
Rowland said joint negotiations with suppliers had so far been “generally to the benefit of the Venture partners” with parity being offered on deals where one had stronger commercial terms.
Midcounties has negotiated the majority of the commercial deals, although where Barrhead has stronger relationships – for example with cruise lines – it has struck supplier deals.
Under the agreement, Midcounties is looking after the top 20 suppliers for both businesses, which turnover just under £600 million collectively.
Rowland said: “Not all suppliers offer one target for Midcounties and Barrhead; some have separate targets, but we do measure ourselves as one business and our performance is measured as one.
“The opportunity for operators is that they can chase business through two of the biggest agents.
“The aim was to get the “best of the best” deals so what we are finding is where, for example, we are strong and they are not, parity has been on offered on terms to both partners.”