Wendy Wu takes on web
WENDY Wu Tours is preparing to introduce a new range of low- priced tours in a bid to fend off larger web-based rivals.
Speaking at the launch of Wendy Wu’s new online booking platform last night ( TD yesterday), the firm’s managing director for Australia & New Zealand Andrew Mulholland said the new tours would involve a series of 10-day packages priced below $2,000.
“It’s a new range of tours that will allow agents to compete against mass-market online bucket shops, arming agents with an aggressively priced lead-in product and offering online bookable options in under two minutes,” Mulholland said.
“The feedback from the travel agent community is that they struggle to compete against that lower end of town, so we’ll provide them with a product... that will allow agents to compete at a price point.”
The as yet unnamed range will be launched next month.
“We’ll pay agents commission and it will give them a good ability to up-sell to the normal product range we offer,” Mulholland said.
The new holiday offering was in part a response to increased competition in the air sector which had resulted in low fares that benefited online operators.
“A lot of that is driven by the sheer capacity in air that flies out of China to Australian cities,” Mulholland commented.
“It’s presenting consumers with incredible value to get to China.”
WENDY Wu Tours last night hosted a full house of travel industry guests at the launch of its new online booking system ( TD yesterday), taking over Sydney’s Tank Stream Bar for a night of celebrations.
Managing director Andrew Mulholland and ceo Joe Karbo ( pictured) led the proceedings, but Wendy Wu herself made a special appearance from London via video to declare an end to over-the-phone processes for travel agents.
“Until now the biggest frustration for me has been seeing you agents spending so long on the phone,” Wu said.
“This is a high cost for you, it’s painful and simply unacceptable. It simply had to change.”
Wu then handed over to an on-screen demonstration of the new system, showing a full tour and flight booking process taking place in under two minutes.