LateRooms in major growth phase

Online hotel reservation service LateRooms is to launch in Spain and could soon double its inventory through closer integration with parent company TUI Travel. The Manchester-based website is expected to unveil a dedicated site for the Spanish market by the end of March as it looks to expand its service into local markets and target…

Online hotel reservation service LateRooms is to launch in Spain and could soon double its inventory through closer integration with parent company TUI Travel.


The Manchester-based website is expected to unveil a dedicated site for the Spanish market by the end of March as it looks to expand its service into local markets and target domestic travellers.


Sites for France, Italy, Spain and Germany are also planned for the next few years, managing director Chris Morris told Travolution.


The move follows its acquisition by First Choice by £108 million in late-2006 and a review of operations since the parent company’s merger with TUI in 2007.


LateRooms has around 17,000 hotel and accommodation units on its books – soon to be boosted by a further 3,000 following a deal with InterContinental Hotels – and there are plans to dramatically increase its inventory even more, Morris said.


Access to additional TUI Travel hotel stock – which allow pay-on-departure – could boost the LateRooms portfolio by another 30,000-40,000 properties.


Meanwhile an offline media marketing campaign using created for the first time in conjunction with creative agency BMB.


The outdoor and national and regional press campaign could also be extended to include radio and television in the coming months.