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Hotels4U responds to takeover claims
The boss of leading online accommodation-only supplier Hotels4U has responded to claims that the company has received a takeover approach from rival Youtravel.com.
Managing director Haim Perry admitted there had been a “conversation” with Youtravel.com but he had many such informal discussions with other businesses in the bed bank sector.
The details of the conversation with Youtravel.com will remain confidential.
He admitted to a minor “customer service issue” with Hays Travel but said he expected that to be resolved shortly.
Perry said: “We are sold through all the Co-ops, Travel Counsellors, Freedom Travel Group, the TTA, Hays. Name one that doesn’t sell us? We provide a genuinely good value product.”
The company, which employs 100 staff in the UK, is on course to double its turnover to £100 million this year over 2006 with a margin of no less than seven per cent.
Perry said it was clear that some people were “jealous” about the success of his business.
In a statement issued to the trade, he said the company continued to “grow and prosper”, adding: “In 2005/6, our sales figures showed a 75% increase on the previous year. In the current year, the increase is running at 100% above last year’s levels. And, whilst our prices have been held to 2006 levels, our margins are on the rise. Our competitors may have been selling below cost but we don’t.”
The statement also sought to clarify dealings with ABTA and Triton.
“ABTA did not reject our application for membership last March,” the statement said. “They discussed certain aspects of our application with us in a private meeting with their Membership Committee and we withdrew our application before ABTA’s processes had been completed.
“It is disappointing that some details of that meeting have been leaked inaccurately.”
Regarding Triton, Hotels4U said: “Even though, as a non-principal supplier, Hotels4u no longer features on Triton’s preferred supplier list, we are still very much a supplier of accommodation to Triton Rooms who benefit from our indemnity agreement.”
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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