Flight search engine Skyscanner has added package holidays to its portfolio.
The service, called Packages, searches ATOL-protected holidays offered by tour operators and online travel agents including TUI, Jet2 holidays, Expedia, On the Beach, easyJet holidays, Lastminute.com and loveholidays.
Packages has launched first in the UK, and there are plans to roll out it in other markets later in the year.
Global VP of Commercial Cat King said: “January is the busiest booking month for UK travellers, as plans for a holiday in the sun provide a boost to holidaymakers and the travel industry.
“We believe that finding the best travel deal shouldn’t feel like another chore and that’s why we’ve launched Packages, our new package comparison product, which searches 25 million packages every day across the biggest UK package holiday providers to find travellers the best options for their budgets.
“We’re excited to shake up a traditional part of the travel industry.
“By applying our smart technology and unrivalled pricing data to package holidays, we’re doing what Skyscanner is known for – comparing the best options and taking the stress out of planning.
“We’re already seeing strong demand at the start of the year for flight-plus-hotel, giving package providers a powerful opportunity to reach engaged travellers on our platform.”
Skyscanner’s search portfolio also includes flights, hotel and car hire.
Henbury Travel Managing Director Richard Slater told Travel Gossip he wasn’t worried by Skyscanner’s move into packages: “We act as the clients’ ‘Human Holiday Search Engine’. We are fully protected and the operators we use are highly vetted and fully financially protected,” he said.
David Gregg, who runs Different Corners travel agency in Torquay, said: “This is all we need. We already get clients coming in who have costed up flights on Skyscanner that are wrong. Lots of times they offer connections that are impossible to make with two different airlines, such as Ryanair and Wizz Air, so a client has to book the Ryanair part and then hope the Wizz Air bit is actually available – usually it’s not or it’s twice the original price. I can’t really see this being any good.”
Another said agents should ’embrace’ the technology. ”
“If I can compare multiple tour ops with just the one search, I’ll be using it purely for research,” the agent said.
“If travel agents wanted to invest in a system that returns all the results from the likes of easyJet holidays, Jet2holidays, TUI etc, rather then doing multiple searches on multiple sites, it would cost a lot of money and basically Skyscanner is letting us have it for nothing!.”
