Speaking to TTG at the Elite Conference for Independents in Cadiz, chief executive Neil Basnett said it is hoped the platform will be in place by early next year.
And in getting Elite members to use it, he said the consortium will have more detailed information on what members are booking which will help further improve relationships with operators thanks to the additional data.
Basnett said: “It will be linked into our website. At the moment our members are using all sorts of different means for booking holidays, whether it is Sabs or whatever.
“We want them to use the Elite site and keep it simple. The main thing we have got to ensure is it becomes cheaper for them to use.
“It will give them a cost saving and it also gives us an insight in head office of which operators the members are using and what they are actually booking.”
Basnett said a five-figure sum has been put aside to meet the initial development costs after Elite members voted in the 2015 AGM in February to forego their dividends for more investment.
He added: “The agents were very keen that some of the money the consortium has made should be invested back into technology.”
The first stage of the platform will give agents the chance to book packages and tailor make trips with individual operators.
Basnett said a dynamic packaging facility would later be added, although he was at pains to stress this would not be to the detriment of relationships with current operator partners.
He added: “We’re not getting an Atol, we tried that a few years ago but it was too complicated.”
Basnett also praised the ongoing relationship the consortium has with the Advantage Travel Partnership, adding it adds between 1% and 1.25% on each Eltie member’s bottom line thanks to the deals they can now access.
However, he added despite the benefits of working together, the consortium would remain resolutely independent on behalf of its agents.
He said: “We still run ourselves as a separate business, we maintain our separate identity and we have our own head office.”
