2002

Flight Centre Limited acquires Last Minute Hotel booking business

Friday, 27 September 2002

Australia’s leading travel retailer, Flight Centre Limited, has entered the last minute accommodation business by acquiring online hotel booking service quickbeds.com. The $800,000 acquisition was completed today and has paved the way for Flight Centre Limited to offer travellers easy access to heavily discounted last minute specials at hotels throughout Australia. Flight Centre Limited has also entered into an additional technology development agreement with quickbeds.com’s developers to secure their involvement in the system’s ongoing maintenance and future enhancement. Flight Centre Limited chairman Norman Fussell said customers could continue to access the last minute specials via the quickbeds.com website, but would now have access to the deals through the flightcentre.com.au site. Mr Fussell said the company planned to offer the deals through its Australian retail store network in the future to ensure all customers could enjoy the benefits. "quickbeds.com specialises in last minute hotel accommodation and currently books about 2000 room nights a month," Mr Fussell said. "The business is still in its infancy and we feel it has considerable growth potential. "The link with Flight Centre Limited will differentiate quickbeds.com from its online competitors because it will give the business access to Australasia’s largest travel distribution network, the hundreds of Flight Centre stores throughout the country." Under quickbeds’ system, hotels use the website to offer discounted rates up to 14 days in advance. Customers who use the quickbeds site enjoy the benefits of instant booking and online confirmation, in addition to access to the cheap hotel rates. Cancellations and changes can also be made online. More than 500 properties in city and country areas are currently using the service, ranging from motels to luxury resorts. Flight Centre Limited wholesale product manager Grant Theobald said the quickbeds system could eventually be used by all of the company’s leisure and corporate brands. "There are great synergies for us as a company," he said. "For example, Flight Centre brand is well known for its lowest airfares guarantee and this acquisition means its customers will have easy access to the cheapest hotel deals online immediately, through flightcentre.com.au, and in Flight Centre stores in the future. "Customers who choose to make their arrangements online will be able to book cheap flights and accommodation 24 hours a day from the flightcentre.com.au website."