Respect to go online for agents

Gay holiday operator Respect Holidays has announced it will offer travel agents commissionable online bookings following the launch of a fully-bookable website.

Respect’s decision to create an agents’ extranet follows the unveiling last month of real-time web bookings for consumers on its TravelOptions-powered site www.respect-holidays.co.uk, which already account for 15% of its business. The site offers Respect’s web customers live online reservations on packages to the company’s top four destinations: Gran Canaria, Mykonos, Ibiza and Sitges.

Respect is the latest operator to offer live web bookings using TravelOptions’ solution and follows providers including TravelExtras, the Holiday Store and Teletickets Flights.

Respect’s managing director Rob Harkavy said: “Web bookings are forming an increasingly important part of our business. By offering customers a reliable and enjoyable online experience, TravelOptions’ solution is allowing us to expand our e-commerce offering and gain a clear competitive edge in the fast-growing online gay travel market.”

Commenting on the new facility, TravelOptions’ marketing director Tim Argent said: “Online bookings offer operators a quick, low-maintenance and affordable route to significantly increased sales. With our customers seeing as much as 60% of their business coming from online bookings, Respect’s initial success is a sign of even greater things to come.”