Holiday Services managing director Jennifer Hilton signs on with Illusions Online

Illusions Online looks set to carve out a niche in the Caribbean having signed a deal with its first destination management company in the market.

Jamaica-headquartered Holiday Services has recognised the urgent need to take its B2B business online in order to thrive in today’s competitive global travel arena and will implement cutting-edge ‘Illusions OnDemand’ technology to achieve this goal.

The DMC’s managing director, Jennifer Hilton, has opted for IOD’s Professional edition – an off-the-shelf product that will ensure the travel firm can offer the best rates at Caribbean hotels in real time that are bookable online to its growing customer base.

This covers its established source market, Eastern Europe, where the company boasts more than 500 clients, as well as Latin America – a new source market for Holiday Services where it has already forged relationships with at least 50 key customers.

“We are a 28-year-old business with a very strong reputation for offering ground arrangements in the Caribbean,” she said.

“But if we want to stay competitive, we have no choice but to go online with good hotel rates, particularly now we are offering our services to the Latin America market, which is dominated by players such as Hotelbeds.

“The business of booking rooms has changed and you need to be online or get out of the business.

“We already have a competitive edge in the Caribbean market, but implementing this system will take us up a notch higher, not just regionally, but globally, showing that we are embracing technology and ahead of the game.”

Holiday Services’ IOD Professional system will automate, integrate and centralise almost every aspect of its business including product management, hotel/services contracting, client profiles and tariff rules, a booking engine, client and supplier documentation, accounts receivables and accounts payables, logistics and planning modules, as well as Internet booking engines for clients to purchase the entire accommodation product range online.

Illusions Online is considered Asia’s Leading Travel Technology Provider by the World Travel Awards.