Travel subscriptions start-up Ultimate Travel Club on the double as holiday prices rise

OTA says it is seeing growing demand for its £99 annual membership and claims to have saved subscribers £1.6 million to date

Start-up travel subscription OTA Ultimate Travel Club has reported a doubling of members each month as travellers seek deals amid rising prices.

The firm is pioneering subscriptions in travel alongside bigger brands like eDreams ODIGEO and says to date members have found more than £1.6 million of savings.

It claims typical savings are at least £800 a year and a live price comparison tool it developed showed last week that it was cheaper in 91% of searches compared to rivals.

Members of Ultimate Travel Club pay £99 annually giving them access to a wide range of holidays. The firm offers to refund the difference if the holiday is founder cheaper.  

Chief executive Brett Norton said the more members book with Ultimate Travel Club the more they stand to save.

“We’re a one stop shop for holidays, so we save our members hours and hours of time. They really see it as a club, and love sharing experiences and tips with us and with their fellow members.  

“Like us, they want to help others find the best possible experiences. As travellers it’s the kind of travel company we always wanted to use, and I feel certain we are set to grow and grow.”.

Norton added: “All the founders of Ultimate Travel Club are travellers first, and as travellers we want greater flexibility, more choice and real impartiality. 

“But we’re also all in the travel industry, so we know that traditional companies aren’t set up to offer all this at a reasonable price – which is why we went ahead and created our own travel company.”

Norton said the value the OTA offers is particularly attractive at the moment: “The price of holidays has increased dramatically of late. 

“Our members want the lowest prices they can get, but they are also looking for flexibility and reassurance. 

“They don’t want deals that are only available on low-demand days in a few hand-picked hotels. 

“They want to be able to choose the accommodation they want, where they want, on the dates they want. That’s why we’ve got access to over a million hotels and apartments, and why all bookings are Abta and Atol protected.

“The traditional travel firms are set up with inherited infrastructure and high overheads, which adds a whole layer of additional costs that they have to pass onto the customer. 

“Whereas we were specifically designed with these requirements in mind, to provide truly flexible travel – at incredible prices. 

“We’re often 40% cheaper than other providers, because we don’t have the legacy business model and costs the established travel companies do. 

“And this means we’re able to make our money through subscriptions, not through a mark-up on the prices we’re charged by our suppliers.”