EveryHoliday, which describes itself as a trade-only tour operator, enables agents to search and book commissionable package holidays online and can be merged into agents’ own websites via an API link.
The venture is a partnership between Kevin Coles and Andy Speight, with investment from Protected Trust Services.
Coles has more than 30 years’ industry experience having served as the UK and Canada managing director for Kognitiv’s travel businesses, and has also held senior roles with Travel 2 and Travelbag.
Speight is managing director of technology brand Travelgenix, which permits a connection to agents’ own websites plus links to operators including Jet2Holidays and Etihad Holidays and direct to hotel groups.
Coles said: “Our goal is to provide travel agents with the ability to book any point-to-point destination worldwide online and in front of their customers without having to spend lengthy spells on the telephone like with other tour operators.
"We also have a highly knowledgeable agent support team on hand should assistance be required.”
EveryHoliday currently has an Atol for sales of 1,000 packages. The Travelgenix platform means bookings appear on agents’ websites automatically, while agents can also share live inventory with customers in store or over the phone.
More than 200 independent agents have already registered with the brand. “From what we have seen so far, our best-performing destinations have been Maldives and the UAE booked online, and a great deal of Asia-US multi-centre offline,” said Coles.
“The idea came from travel agents. If you are competing with the big boys online, there is no margin left. It’s an opportunity for the agent to protect some of their margin.
“Jet2holidays has launched a widget for travel agents’ sites so consumers can book without them having to do anything. We have done the same, plus we have the traditional portal for the agent to make reservations from live availability.”
He added: “From a hotel’s point of view, it’s a unique distribution channel to get access to the agent. The deals we do with hotels are specifically for the agent and nobody else.”
