JacTravel, the UK-based wholesaler best known for its extensive range of hotels online and inbound travel services will be exhibiting at Arabian Travel Market (ATM), for the first time this year.

JacTravel has made rapid progress in the Middle East over the past few years and it is investing in growing it steam, its customer base and its hotel inventory across the region.

In the past two years, it has more than doubled its Middle East portfolio to nearly 250 contracted hotels (ranging from iconic independent hotels such as the Atlantis in Dubai and Chedi in Muscat to global brands including IHG, Hilton, Marriott, Accor, Hyatt, Fairmont and Starwood) in major cities.

JacTravel’s CEO, Mario Bodini puts JacTravel’srecent success in the Middle East down to twomain factors.  First, its rapidly-growing portfolio of over 7,000directly-contracted hotels, in more than 550 cities worldwide, which can beaccessed easily by travel trade buyers over the internet. 

They do so with their own login to JacTravel’s web site (where properties are available on anet-rate basis) or its inventory can be made available by a fast and reliableXML connection. Second, its strategy of focusing on a number of hand-pickedproperties, each strong in its niche, rather than a blanket listing of everyhotel in a destination ensures it can provide trade buyers with awell-differentiated and compelling proposition for their clients.  JacTravelalso offers instant confirmation and 24/7 support.

Mario said: “JacTravel currently books around twomillion room nights a year, with less than 5% originating in the Middle East.  Therefore, we see this as a market with enormous potential.” 

Angela Skelly, Director of Online, Malcolm Lindop, Head ofContracting and George Marsellos, Head of Sales for the Middle East will all attend ATM to develop relationships with locally based tour operators and travel agents.