WTM08 – Aldi to launch online travel service

Budget High Street supermarket chain Aldi is to launch an online travel service in conjunction with the On Holiday Group and Eurotours. The ABTA-bonded site will be unveiled on 8 January 2009 and will include handpicked hotel deals in “hundreds” of destinations around the world. The holidays will be dynamically packaged with flights and transfers through…

Budget High Street supermarket chain Aldi is to launch an online travel service in conjunction with the On Holiday Group and Eurotours.


The ABTA-bonded site will be unveiled on 8 January 2009 and will include handpicked hotel deals in “hundreds” of destinations around the world.


The holidays will be dynamically packaged with flights and transfers through the On Holiday Group and full protected under the firm’s Supplier Failure Cover programme.


The launch will coincide with the fortnightly push for special deals via in-store Ali Travel brochure programme.


Supporting the launch of Aldi Travel in the New Year will be a major national newspaper advertising campaign and online keyword buying programme.


OHG chief executive Steve Endacott told Travolution: “We are here to deliver Aldi into the online travel arena in the UK.


The current economic situation was not a barrier to launch the service but could play into the hands of price-conscious consumers who are familiar with the Aldi brand, Endacott added.


The move follows success for Aldi in Germany and Austria with a similar online travel portal using European specialists Bergundmer and Hofer Reisen respectively.


Sarah Butler, group sales director for Aldi UK, said the Austrian system had sold one million holidays in five years.


Aldi Travel is also planning to launch cruise deals and holidays to long haul destinations later in 2009 as well as launch the site in Ireland.


Alditravel.co.uk was designed by McCann-i and backend supplied and maintained by long-serving OHG partner Click With Technology.