Teletext joins campaign for transparent pricing

Wednesday, 03 Jan, 2007 0

Teletext is tightening controls on how travel companies advertise prices on its website.

As part of a relaunch of its website www.teletextholidays.co.uk this spring, it will force suppliers to include the cost of compulsory extras in the on-screen price.

The move comes after Thomson announced it would be absorbing the cost of fuel in its prices to make it more transparent for customers (see earlier story).

Teletext is also changing the way in which search results are displayed. Rather than being just price led, results will be based on additional holiday criteria so that the most relevant, not necessarily the cheapest, holidays will be displayed.

In addition, it will not showcase any product on the site that does not feature at least the name of the accommodation and brochure content if they are available.

It is launching a supplier accreditation scheme setting out new minimum standards that advertisers have to meet in order to feature on the site.

Suppliers that meet and exceed standards will get additional benefits and marketing opportunities.

Commercial director online Matt Cheevers explained: “Now is the time for the travel industry to tackle the issue of pricing head on.

“Not including compulsory charges into the advertised price of a holiday has to become a thing of the past. Customers want to see immediately how much a holiday is actually going to cost them and what they are getting for that price.”

More details of the site redesign will be announced in the spring.

By Bev Fearis

Bev

Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.

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