Lastminute ready for trade push

LASTMINUTE.COM has announced Holidayandmore.com as its new trade-facing brand set to “revolutionise” the way agents do business.

The brand, developed by Lastminute subsidiary Holiday Autos, aims to bring dynamic packaging tools to the trade alongside other lifestyle products such as spa treatments and gifts.

Newly appointed general manager Carol Dray said the brand would “revolutionise” the way agents do business by giving them ready access to the e-tail and dynamic packaging sectors.

“The incremental revenue opportunities offered by such a sales tool are phenomenal,” she said.

Holidayandmore.com – intended as a trade-only brand – gives agents access to Lastminute’s inventory, including flights from 100 scheduled airlines and two million charter seats through flight consolidator Globepost, 15,600 resorts and city-centre hotels and car hire.

Agents are likely to receive commission or net rates on all products, details of which are being decided.

It is also likely Globepost will be rebranded as Holiday Flights to complement the rest of the brands.

Meanwhile, the company has promised further buy-ups over the coming weeks after revealing it has £30.3 million left in its merger and acquisition fund.

In September, Lastminute issued a convertible bond of £72.1 million and said it would pursue “a number of small, but strategic acquisitions”. It spent £16.1 million on acquiring Medhotels.com last December and £12.1 million on UK hotel booking agency First Option.