Kuoni denies website functionality becoming less trade-friendly

Kuoni has denied claims it is becoming “less trade-friendly” after some agents reported changes to its website were preventing them from booking multi-centre trips.

Kuoni has denied claims it is becoming “less trade-friendly” after some agents reported changes to its website were preventing them from booking multi-centre trips.

Homeworker Jenny Jackson said she was forced to go elsewhere to book a client’s £10,000 holiday to Asia because the functionality on the luxury operator’s site would not allow her to obtain a quote for multiple stop-offs.

Instead, she said she was prompted to call the reservations team, but because she works out of hours, there was nobody available.

Jackson’s post on Facebook community site Travel Gossip prompted dozens of comments from other agents who said they had experienced similar problems.

One claimed Kuoni stores were offering discounts to customers booking direct.

The complaints come after Kuoni announced up to nine jobs in its trade sales call centre were at risk as it looks to restructure the team.

Jackson, of Travel-PA, who is based in Kent, said: “Before, I could book something quite easily on the site. It was brilliant and made us look really professional.

“Now it’s much harder. The website is not agent-friendly and it feels like they want customers to contact them direct.

“I rely on their online system working 24 hours a day.”

Kuoni sales director Helen Roberts said: “We haven’t made any changes recently specifically to bookability on our website, which is a great tool for booking single?centre and simpler multi?centre holidays.

“(Bespoke holidays) can often be difficult to build online and we encourage our travel agent partners to get in touch with our experts over the phone so that together they can craft the best holiday possible for the customer.”

She added that Kuoni continued to offer price parity.