Weareski.com is being launched by Mainstage Travel, which already offers summer holiday packages in destinations such as Ibiza and Magalufu under separate brands, and which runs the Snowboxx festival. The company was set up in 2012 and won Dragons’ Den funding in 2013.
By contracting directly with all the properties and dropping many of the components associated with a traditional ski break, marketing director Aden Levin is confident he can offer agents prices cheaper than their rivals.
He said: “We have no overheads as we are an online company and service. We don’t have reps in resort; it is the booking.com experience of the ski world.
“There is support if needed but most travellers are internet savvy and they’re not wanting to go on a pub quiz when they are in resort.
“Most people just want to go on a ski holiday with their friends and the rest of the offering is kind of redundant. The model has been working for huge companies like Travel Republic and booking.com. It is just travel for the 21st century.”
Ski trips are available in Andorra, Austria, Bulgaria, France, Italy and Switzerland and Levin said durations could be tailored to the customers’ needs as the company uses a variety of airlines.
It is the first year the brand has been operating and Levin said it was designed to appeal to all sectors of the market, as it targets up to 4,000 bookings in the first year. He added: “It is for anyone who wants a really good ski holiday; whether they’re going on a basic budget or looking for high end, we can cater for two people or groups of 30.”
Agents who use the OTA to build holidays for their own clients will be given special codes to use on the site and will be paid commission levels typically between 10% and 12%. Training is available for those wanting to find out more about the ski market and all trips are Atol-bonded.
Prices lead in at £450pp for seven nights’ self-catering accommodation in La Daille and includes flights, transfers and lift pass.
