FEXCO plans to enhance its PlacesToStay.com hotel reservation programme

FEXCO AllTravel, the online travel services subsidiary of  FEXCO group, is planning significant investment to enhance its PlacesToStay.com hotel reservation programme, the newly-rebranded business acquired from CNG Travel Group in September.

The company says it is currently reviewing development options for the PlacesToStay programme so that it ''delivers more value to its participating travel agents, affiliate distributors and  hotel supply
partners.''

According to an official statement, FEXCO bought CNG's B2C assets, comprising the PlacesToStay and CNG Hotels booking web sites, existing contracts with agents, affiliates and hotels, and related technology and call centre operations, nearly a year after CNG launched its merchant rate hotel programme in the UK.

FEXCO AllTravel managing director Dr Stewart Stephens emphasises that 'it's business and service continuity as usual' for PlacesToStay's distribution and supply partners while options are reviewed. Declaring his two key objectives as developing PlacesToStay and assessing the trade market potential of other FEXCO travel and currency products, Dr Stephens said: "Buying the CNG business made strategic sense. PlacesToStay fits neatly into FEXCO's business model which delivers quality travel products and services to consumers and the trade via the Internet, and we believe there are various ways it can be enhanced. We're confident about the outcome as we've a high quality pedigree, we're well resourced and profitable, and we are part of a group that invests in the future."

He added that PlacesToStay gives FEXCO AllTravel an immediate presence in key travel trade markets in Britain, Europe and further afield, as well as its sizeable and growing base of trade users, there's clear opportunity to enhance its overall value proposition for agents and hotels alike.

In another development, the company is also promoting its Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) credit card service as a revenue-earner for travel sector merchants that offer it as a value-add service to
their customers.

''The FEXCO DCC system enables on and offline merchants, such as airlines, hotels, car hire
companies, restaurants and retailers, to offer their customers instant front-end conversion of their credit card purchases, whether made abroad or online. This means card holders effectively pay in their home currency at the point of purchase for both 'card present' and 'card not present' transactions. This
removes the uncertainty common amongst travellers and online purchasers of exactly how much their purchase has cost them, a fact usually not known until credit card bills are received,'' stated the company.