Leisureplanet, the Internet-based travel service,
announced the launch of its service in the UK, co-branded
with Lycos Bertelsmann.
This week’s UK launch follows successful rollouts in Germany
and France last week.
The Leisureplanet service is tailored to each local market
and offers comprehensive facilities to the traveller. Users
get access to low-cost negotiated airfares, car rentals, and
to an illustrated hotel guide that features over 38,000 hotels,
including 8,000 independent establishments.
Ticket sales, customer service and the provision of travel
deals that are unique to each market are the responsibility
of a local travel partner. In the UK, that local partner is
airfare consolidator and package holiday operator Major Travel.
“We were impressed
with the call centre operations and fares database at Major
Travel. In particular, their strength with the national carrier
British Airways on negotiated airfares that are not available
in traditional flight reservation systems will satisfy public
demand,” said Pierre Kleinhans, Leisureplanet’s CEO.
“The main reason we chose Leisureplanet to be our premier
travel partner, was because of their strategy to offer travel
services in most European countries. Lycos Bertelsmann already
offers local content in local languages in 12 European countries.
The travel services provided by Leisureplanet will allow Lycos to
offer their users a unique European Internet travel experience,” said Tony Philipp, COO of Lycos Bertelsmann.
Leisureplanet is operated by Leisure Planet, a travel services
company that is 81 percent owned by First South Africa Corporation.
At a meeting on April 29, First South Africa Corporation is asking
shareholders for their approval for a name-change — to Leisure
Planet Holdings Ltd.