Flight Centre Limited has secured two new sales agreements with Australia’s most popular television travel program and with leading website ninemsn.
The deals will deliver Flight Centre’s products to millions of potential customers each month and will see the company become:
- major travel provider to Channel Nine’s Getaway program for three years
- the power behind ninemsn’s Getaway travel section for one year
Getaway attracts a nationwide weekly audience of about 2million, while ninemsn is Australia’s most popular website with up to 6.9 million visitors each month.
Because of Flight Centre’s ability to offer deals with numerous suppliers, the arrangements will deliver a wider choice of domestic and international flights, accommodation, cruises and holiday packages.
“These are exciting new agreements for Flight Centre Limited and will deliver our broad range of travel products to huge online and television audiences,” Flight Centre Limited chief executive officer Shane Flynn said.
“Importantly, these agreements represent new sales and marketing opportunities and provide our company with the opportunity to sell lucrative package deals and grow our overall business.”
Mr Flynn said the ninemsn agreement represented a particularly important step in the company’s evolution from a traditional retailer into a “clicks and mortar” multi channel distribution system.
“Our flagship website, flightcentre.com.au, is already Australia’s most popular travel agency site, but this agreement with ninemsn signals our intention to become the major player in the broader online travel market.
“It also represents a break with tradition because services of this kind have historically been provided by pure dotcom travel companies and airlines.
“This agreement with ninemsn, our recent AAA Tourism deal and the continued improvements to flightcentre.com provide tangible evidence of our ongoing investment in the eCommerce area.”
In December, Flight Centre Limited and AAA Tourism PTY Ltd, a company wholly owned by the Australian Auto Clubs, joined forces in an online travel initiative.
The initiative used the technology of quickbeds.com, Flight Centre Limited’s online accommodation booking service, to deliver a comprehensive booking service to 6.4 million Australian Auto Club members via Auto Club websites in each state.
Getaway returns to air at 7.30pm on Thursday, February 10. Consultants will be available during and after the show to service customer enquiry generated during the program.
Flight Centre’s 131600 phone number will be the call-to-action in Getaway’s stories and will feature in the program’s hot deals section.