Tour operator adopts dynamic pricing

TRAFALGAR’S CostSaver
division has introduced
dynamic pricing on its
European and British tours for
2018.
The operator says the
‘Ready to Go Rates’ are
designed to provide agents
with the best price at the
moment of enquiry and to
incentivise clients to book
their tours sooner. “Our new
dynamic pricing strategy is
all about putting our partners
first, putting agents on an
equal footing with online
booking options and creating
a sense of urgency to close
the sale,” said Trafalgar md,
Theresa Szejwallo.
This marks the Travel
Corporation’s first departure
from static pricing. Theresa
advised that there were no
immediate plans to introduce
dynamic pricing across its
other brands at present.
Zelda Klue, travel agent for
Pentravel Garden Route, said
her experience with the new
pricing system had been very
positive as it had assisted her
to close more sales. She said
in the past there had never
been any urgency for clients
to pay their deposit, but now
she could advise clients that
the rate might increase if they
waited to make their booking.
However Bridget
Esterhuizen, a consultant
at 360 Degrees Travel,
felt that dynamic pricing
complicated things for
agents. “Clients don’t always
book immediately after we
quote them and they find it
frustrating when the price
for the same product on the
same dates has increased
when they go ahead with their
booking.”