Traveltek claims early success with new niche tour operating platform for Sandals

Traveltek says the platform has delivered instant results for UCHL in the two months it has bee live, with trade bookings increasing 10% year on year since its implementation. Continue reading →

Traveltek has claimed early success in targeting the niche tour operator market following the roll out of its new platform with Sandals-owned Unique Caribbean Holidays.

The firm is the UK tour operating division of Caribbean resorts giant Sandals and Beaches Resorts that is using a customised platform for its trade retail partners.

Traveltek says the platform has delivered instant results for UCHL in the two months it has been live, with trade bookings increasing 10% year on year since its implementation.

In addition, agent web bookings as a total of the UCHL trade business have increased from 10% to 30%.

Peter Whittle, global sales director of Traveltek, said firms were looking for the sort of “one stop shop” platform that Traveltek can provide.

He said: “Our platform handles the contracts, availability and pricing for products including hotel, flight, transfers and events, providing established tour operators and savvy travel agents with the opportunity to sell them as individual components or complete packages, combined with other third-party products.

“At the same time, Traveltek plugs into more independent travel agency desktops than any other technology provider.

“The benefits we offer niche tour operators are unrivalled and as more travel firms like UCHL to better manage their distribution and inventory, we anticipate strong demand for Traveltek’s one-of-a-kind platform.”

Traveltek’s tour operating solution enables the travel company to manage a number of areas including its sales distribution, market reach, customer experience, in-house productivity and multi-channel sales.

UCHL wanted to grow the firm’s travel trade sales and the Traveltek tie-up allows access to agents using its iSell reservation system including Hays Travel, Barrhead Travel, Dawson & Sanderson, Global Travel Group, Freedom Travel Group and The Midcounties Co-operative.

Karl Thompson, managing director of UCHL, said: “The Traveltek platform has been built exactly to our brief and has transformed our business in a very short timeframe.

“Since its implementation two months ago, we have completed a highly-successful campaign that has exceeded expectations, driving more bookings through the travel trade.

“Traveltek has played a major role in helping us achieve our business goals and set us on the right path for future growth in 2017 and beyond.”

As well as establishing itself as a dominant force in the niche tour operator sector Traveltek’s says it is also investing in product development, recruiting new talent and international expansion after securing a £5.3 million capital investment from private equity fund manager YFM in late 2016.