Endacott forecasts ‘virtual tour operating’ trend
Virtual tour operating is emerging as the next travel industry activity as hoteliers begin to offer ‘packages’, according to On Holiday Group chief executive Steve Endacott.
Endacott told visitors to London’s Travel Technology Show that hoteliers will be offering flights in a natural extension of a trend that is already seeing airlines like Easyjet and Ryanair selling ancillary product so successfully that it is supporting their low-cost model.
“Hotels are set to go into dynamic packaging. If they sell accommodation then why not flights? We are going to see more asset holders coming into this arena,” said Endacott.
“If 20 million people are still buying package holidays from the big operators, they must be doing something right and there must still be a market there for the seven or 14-night holiday.”
Like many of the show’s other speakers, he also predicted that this would eventually spell consolidation and rationalisation of the broker market, with dynamic packaging retailers vertically integrating with bed banks to control product delivery.
By Dinah Hatch
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season