Great Little Breaks is poised to introduce an online rail booking system to allow agents to sell train-inclusive UK city break package.
The new system iss due to go live next week on the agent section of the operator’s website.
It will initially be exclusive to the trade and allow them to book city break packages by rail, with all elements, including the transport, hotel, theatre or attraction, commissionable to agents.
The UK short breaks specialist, which started working closely with the trade last year to fill the void left by Super Break, has been developing the system since last summer. A trial started with selected agents last month (May).
Agents will be able to book rail travel to all major UK cities, including London, York, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham.
Director of trade relations Chris Cundall said the launch coincided with the operator’s decision to focus on promoting UK cities as availability reduces in coastal resorts for summer.
He said: “The UK is in high demand and a number of the honeypot destinations such as the Lake District, Cornwall and coastal resorts are filling up.
“By offering city breaks, it will offer agents additional products to sell in the summer and autumn when traditionally people take overseas city breaks.”
He is hopeful it will increase the operator’s trade bookings by offering agents an easy switch-sell if they cannot get availability in popular tourist spots and a new product to promote for autumn and winter.
He added: “Agents are selling the UK exceptionally well and this opens up endless possibilities. The autumn is the biggest travel time to London and leading into Christmas for shopping and sightseeing trips.”
One night at the four-star London Kensington Forum hotel with a theatre ticket for Wicked including rail travel from York costs from £158.