Interview: Online Travel Corporation chief executive, Mark Jones

Just before Christmas, Online Travel Corporation signed a deal with Priceline.com to provide the website with a range of services, including flights and package holidays.

Priceline.com became famous for allowing people to “name their own price” for flights from the US, but the concept has not taken off in the UK. Consequently, the company has signed a deal with OTC to supply its UK website, Priceline.co.uk.

“We’ve been talking to Priceline.com for several months and we are now delighted to be working with one of the major global online players,” said OTC chief executive Mark Jones (left).

“They were keen to work with us because the name-your-own-price concept would have taken considerable investment to work in Europe.

“The model has worked well in the US, but this market is different. Also, the model is not as effective in a depressed market. When you can buy a transatlantic seat with British Airways for £200, people are less willing to pay £150 or £180 for a carrier they are not familiar with.”

Priceline.co.uk customers buying travel services will come through direct to OTC.

“We expect around 250,000 users a month and in our experience you get between two and three per cent conversion,” said Jones.

He expects the build-your-own package element, which OTC pioneered and is being offered to Priceline.co.uk customers, to be successful.

“This concept is becoming increasing popular,” said Jones. “People want the flexibility to be able to build their own holidays.

“We plan to roll out a lot of other services, including ski, golf and dive holidays.”

OTC is the UK’s largest online travel supplier and retailer, owning and powering websites with over 1.6 million users per month, and is quoted on the Alternative Investment Market.

Its websites include bargainholidays.com and ski website, ifyouski.com.

Customers who like the name-your-own-price concept, can buy hotels from the UK in this way on Priceline.co.uk

“You can still get a four-star hotel in Manhattan, New York by bidding around £50 a night and that makes it an attractive proposition,” said Jones.

Read our previous interviews:
14-Jan-2002 Interview: Jon Constantine, managing director, Farebase
17-Dec-2002 Interview: Paul Riches, sales and marketing director, Libra Holidays
11-Dec-02: Ian Derbyshire, tour operations sales director, Thomas Cook
03-Dec-02: Gary David, managing director, Cadogan Holidays
26-Nov-02: Vic Sheppard, UK sales and marketing manager, Emirates
19-Nov-02: Mathew Prior, managing director, First Choice Ski
13-Nov-02: David Clifton, md Europe and Asia, Interval International
04-Nov-02: David Norris, brand manager, ifyouski.com
29-Oct-02: Chris May, managing director, Hayes and Jarvis
21-Oct-02: Fiona Jeffery, Reed Exhibitions director
14-Oct-02: Brent Hoberman, ceo and co-founder, lastminute.com
09-Oct-02: David Burdon, sales and marketing director, Cosmos
02-Oct-02: Jeff Rebello, UK marketing manager, SAS
24-Sep-02: BITOA chief executive Richard Tobias
17-Sep-02: Alan Croft, deputy managing director, Bridge Travel Service
10-Sep-02: Noel Josephides, managing director, Sunvil Holidays
04-Sep-02: Geoffrey Lipman, World Tourism Organisation adviser
26-Aug-02: Jo Rzymowska, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
20-Aug-02: TravelMole Interview: Peter Shanks, senior vice-president, Cunard Line
13-Aug-02: Tom Allen, The Theme Park People
05-Aug-02: Chris Kroeger, Sabre
30-Jul-02: Chris Mottershead, TUI UK
23-Jul-02: Seamus Conlon, Airtours Holidays
15-Jul-02: David Soskin, cheapflights.co.uk
09-Jul-02: Bruce Bishins, Genesis TDS
01-Jul-02: Howard Frost, Travelink
25-Jun-02: Rob Wortham, RWA
17-Jun-02: Paul Blackney, Worldspan
11-Jun-02: Mark Jones, Online Travel Corporation
27-May-02: Oliver Hillel, UNEP
20-May-02: Keith Webber, Telewest
13-May-02: Mark O’Brien, Rosenbluth International
07-May-02: Alicia Gardner, Sabre
29-Apr-02: Carolyn Ezzell, Delta Air Lines
23-Apr-02: John Davis, Pegasus Solutions
15-Apr-02: Gregory Hunt, ABTA Arbitration Scheme
09-Apr-02: Stuart Winter, Atinera
03-Apr-02: Roberto Da Re, Dolphin Dynamics
26-Mar-02: Arnaud Debuchy, Amadeus
19-Mar-02: Helen Baker, Lastminute.com
12-Mar-02: Pat Minogue, Galileo
07-Mar-02: Jon Hart, MyTravel
28-Feb-02: Lawrence Hunt, Rapid Travel Solutions