Online and TV travel group Teletext Holidays is to make a radical departure from its existing deals model in order to launch a raft of new websites for specialist and niche holidays. Up to six as yet untitled websites will be launched by January 2007, with the first expected to focus on the long haul…
Teletext unveils major expansion plans
Online and TV travel group Teletext Holidays is to make a radical departure from its existing deals model in order to launch a raft of new websites for specialist and niche holidays.
Up to six as yet untitled websites will be launched by January 2007, with the first expected to focus on the long haul and luxury sector.
It is understood that other sectors under consideration could be those covering villas and cruise holidays.
The move is the first significant development following the results of a consumer survey of 2,500 people carried out by Teletext Holidays earlier this year.
The company said the launch of the new sites would give it the opportunity to target a large group of advertisers that had previously shied away from using its one-size-fits-all brand with Teletextholidays.co.uk.
The site will continue to publish pre-built package holiday deals but, in another significant move, will also include deals that have been dynamically packaged to suit the search options of the user.
The multi-million pound investment programme in the suite of new sites follows a move six months ago to bring in Lastminute.com head of holidays, Matt Cheevers.
He said: “From a business point of view and because of the way the market is changing, if you just have a lone model then there’s a lot of risk involved.
“But having a suite of products you can switch consumers into the correct site then need.”
Meanwhile the main Teletext Holidays site has this week launched a new facility, Integrated Holiday Search, which will allow advertisers to automatically upload travel deals to the site through XML feeds.
Technology firms Traveltek and CWT have partnered with Teletext to provide back-end facilities to also give users deep-links direct into advertiser’s websites.
Cheevers said: “Both our advertisers and customers will benefit from the introduction of HIS.
“It will give our advertisers the chance to feature a range of holidays that convert at higher levels and match the demands of customers.”
