TUI Travel’s consumer-facing bedbanks laterooms.com and asiarooms.com have recorded a strong start to the winter season with summer bookings already way ahead of last year.
Laterooms sees ‘exceptional volume growth’
TUI Travel’s consumer-facing bedbanks laterooms.com and asiarooms.com have recorded a strong start to the winter season with summer bookings already way ahead of last year.
The two brands sit within TUI Travel’s A&D unit (accommodation and destinations). The unit also includes online and offline business-to-business interests including accommodation wholesalers and destination services.
The unit broke even during the October to December 2009 quarter on revenues of £112m, with forex movements blamed for turning round last year’s £1m profit.
Within this, the B2C operations’ “improved profitability” was offset by reduced volumes from its destination services business in Spain.
Its statement referred to a “successful marketing campaign by Laterooms.com and improved conversion rates after investments in content and search optimisation”.
In terms of current trading, the A&D unit’s total transaction value from its online businesses is ahead by 28% and room nights up 33%.
Average selling price was down 4%. For summer, total transaction value is 60% up, room nights booked 58% up with average selling price flat.
