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‘New name’ seeks fame

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Bodini…travel grows ahead of inflation

TRAVEL wholesaler JacTravel is on a mission to raise its profile in the Middle East.

Having boosted its regional portfolio through representatives since December 2012, and officially inaugurated its Dubai office in October, JacTravel is now upbeat over business prospects, executive vice-president Mario Bodini tells TTN.

Earlier this year, JacTravel was sold for about $125 million to private equity group Vitruvian Partners, which is backing its international growth plan. No stranger to awards and recognition, the UK-based JacTravel recently appeared in a Sunday Times ranking of top performing British businesses for a third year running.

But Bodini, who started out as a tour guide, is quite modest about his Middle East approach. “We’re just happy to work with agents, increase their inventory and to help them sell. After all, we are the new name on the block,” says Bodini, who is also the chairman of European Tour Operators Association.

With 35 years of experience in the UK, the ‘new name on the block’ is expecting a turnover of $13 million this year from the Dubai office alone. This is a 40 per cent increase on last year’s revenue.

“Our philosophy is to hand-pick hotels that have something special about them, such as a wonderful location, exceptional service and/or outstanding value for money. We can then promote them with enthusiasm and confidence,” he says.

Some of JacTravel’s main suppliers in the Middle East are The Address Hotels & Resorts, Jumeirah, Meydan, Rotana and Habtoor. JacTravel also works with international stalwarts Hilton, Hyatt, Starwood, Marriott and Moevenpick. It features regular exclusive offers from hotels in the region, a recent example being Moevenpick Deira.

“Geographically, we can offer travel agents in the Middle East a wide range of options,” he says. “We have very good coverage in Europe, especially London, Paris and Rome, we are strong in Asia with an office in Hong Kong that also covers Bangkok and Singapore, and we have a good presence in the US and Canada as well.

“I am very excited by the potential of the Middle Eastern market. At the moment, it is booming, fuelled particularly by increasing numbers of people travelling within the region. We have a great team in place, who are committed to providing a service that is highly knowledgeable, imaginative and responsive to the needs and aspirations of both clients and suppliers,” he says.

Yet, the Middle East is not without its own set of challenges. “Primarily, there is the problem of ever-changing hotel rates and the unpredictable nature of demands: a destination in vogue this year can completely be out of favour the next. And then there is the issue of ever decreasing lead-in times; last-minute bookings seem to be the order of the day!”

Best known for its range of hand-picked, city-centre hotels, JacTravel recently signed a UK distribution agreement with the Travel Network Group (TNG), the largest independent travel network in Europe, comprising 200 suppliers and 800 independent travel agents. JacTravel hotel products will feature on the Honeycomb platform via a live XML feed. JacTravel will provide TNG members best rates and real time availability for every hotel within its portfolio, which includes more than 12,000 properties in more than 1,000 cities. 

The organisation has grown its portfolio of hotels in Asia to more than 1,000 from 300, just two years ago. As of October this year, JacTravel had more than 130 hotels in mainland China, 115 hotels in Hong Kong, 50 hotels in Kuala Lumpur, 110 hotels in Singapore, over 200 hotels in Thai resorts and a dedicated contracts manager focussing exclusively on Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

The rapid growth in directly contracted properties has come as a consequence of a recruitment drive in JacTravel’s Hong Kong office and a strategic ambition to grow the number of properties on its books to meet demand from the travel trade internationally.

JacTravel has not just expanded its portfolio but the level of business has jumped too, with the increased choice on offer. Across the region, turnover is markedly up.

“As a sector, travel grows ahead of inflation; in Asia it is growing substantially faster. This is a market where we have been underweight compared to other destinations, such as Europe, so we see strong growth potential over the medium to long term. We now believe that China will be a very big source market for many destinations, including Dubai.”

Bodini aims to expand the business fully in the Middle East, Asia and China, and indulge in a bit of “skiing, cycling, football, great food and fast cars” while at it. “I love travelling, especially to new places and for new experiences. I enjoy great hotels with great service - Dubai does that very well as do many Asian destinations.”

By Rashi Sen

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