Leading financial, currency and travel services business FEXCO marks its first appearance at World Travel Market…
Leading financial, currency and travel services business FEXCO marks its first appearance at World Travel Market with expansion plans for its latest acquisition, PlacesToStay.
PlacesToStay is the new name for the private rate hotel programme recently acquired from CNG Travel Group by FEXCO. As part of the FEXCO Alltravel subsidiary, the programme is already used by hundreds of traditional and online travel agents, as well as affiliate partners such as airlines and online travel portals around the world. PlacesToStay features an online inventory of over 25,000 participating hotels offering exclusive private rates and real-time booking services.
FEXCO Alltravel managing director Dr Stewart Stephens says PlacesToStay is already receiving increased investment to improve hotel inventory, technology and customer service so that it delivers even more business benefits to travel distributors and suppliers alike.
FEXCO bought the B2C assets of CNG Travel Group in September this year, comprising the PlacesToStay and CNG Hotels booking web sites, existing contracts with travel agents, affiliates and hotels, and related technology and call centre operations. It has taken on nearly 50 former CNG staff, including Tim Wright, previously CNG senior vice president for business development in EMEA.
Other FEXCO Alltravel businesses include Gulliver, Ireland’s national tourist information and reservation system for consumers, which also owns the GoIreland.com portal, Ireland’s largest online consumer shop window for Irish tourism products and services; teetimes.ie, Europe’s first online golf tee time booking system; and online international car rental service, which offers the best rates in almost 5,000 destinations worldwide.
Other travel-related products and services provided by FEXCO include the Western Union Travel Cash Card which offers UK travellers a safe and secure way of carrying cash abroad and the Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) credit card service. Dynamic Currency Conversion provides front-end conversion of foreign or online purchases made by credit card so that card holders effectively pay in their home currency at the point of purchase. The service provides an attractive revenue stream and a value-add customer service for businesses such as airlines, hotels, car hire companies, restaurants and online retailers.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
