Hotelbeds unveils major investment
Hotelbeds outlined its five-year plan to its trade partners at World Travel Market today.
The TUI-owned online company, which supplies hotels, airport transfers and excursions to airlines, operators and agents, says the plans will see it “ buck the global and travel sector trends”.
“Whereas the travel industry is generally making cut backs or players are maintaining current positions Hotelbeds.com is announcing major investment plans,” said Carlos Munoz, MD B2B Division.
He said the group plans to grow its 6000-strong workforce by 18% worldwide over the next five years, largely in Asia.
It plans significant expansion in the source markets and destinations of the Americas, mainly Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Columbia and the US, and Asia, in South East, Korea and India.
“We also want to maintain and grow our home markets in Europe, particularly in the Eastern European countries,” said Munoz.
IT spend will increase by 43% and sales and marketing spend by 40%, he added.
“Our ambition is to increase total transaction volumes by 25% for 2011 and continue with high levels of growth to remain a significant player in this market.”
By Bev Fearis
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.
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