Irish bed bank to launch to UK trade
Irish bed bank BookaBed is to launch a dedicated website for the UK travel trade, with the promise of better service and prices than currently available in the market.
Former Funway Holidays International head of sales Darren Hall joins the company as head of UK sales today to drive bookings and forge strategic partnerships with the trade.
Managing director Karl Tyrrell said it was always the intention to expand the bed bank, which was launched in Ireland in 2004, to the UK.
It claims to be the largest accommodation supplier in Ireland and it is also planning to expand into Australia and the US this year.
"For the past twelve months we have been redeveloping our online trade-only booking engine in readiness to launch to the UK trade," he said.
"Furthermore we are in the final stages of XML integration with all leading partners to maximize distribution reach."
He claimed bookabed could offer the widest range of accommodation across Europe, America, the Caribbean, Far East, Middle East and Australia offering budget hotels up to five-star luxury, plus exclusive deals and value added offerings.
Hall said: "A great deal of time has been spent developing the website and what we are able to provide travel agents is a very robust booking engine with multi room booking facilities, last room inventory and flexible markup earnings and we are offering a ‘one stop shop’ booking solution for all travel agents accommodation and transfers needs.
As the company is based in Ireland, it said there was no VAT on commission for UK agents.
By Linsey McNeill
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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