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Web ‘too crowded’ for more travel brands
WTM Special Report: Lowcostbeds.com is launching destination-specific websites in the belief that consumers are bamboozled by online travel brands.
Speaking to TravelMole, Lowcostbeds chief executive Paul Evans said: “I am going to build a low cost brand with a destination focus because it’s only going to get more crowded in the online travel sector.
“It’s a good way to go because people will remember a destination and the low cost brand over yet another travel brand. They go into a search engine and type their preferred holiday destination – in fact a destination-specific search term is the second most common used in travel searches.”
The first destination to be launched by Lowcostbeds will be Ibiza, which will be ready in about two or three months, according to Evans.
Evans said the company has not yet decided on other destinations, but confirmed that all will have a ‘lowcost’ URL, for example www.lowcostibiza.com. He said: “We’ve spent a fortune on URLs.”
He also added that Lowcostbeds intends to work with the relevant tourist boards to add country-specific information such as weather, currency, country guides and maps. He said that the websites, which are still in a trial phase, would initially use existing lowcostbeds.com inventory, with more added as the destination required it.
Evans added that the site would sell luxury properties alongside less expensive hotels, and says he prefers selling four or five star because of the higher margin. He added: “As soon as people go onto the internet, they are discerning customers, they shop online because they see it is the low cost channel.”
Report by Ginny McGrath
Ginny McGrath
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