Fully Subsidised E-commerce Licences for Tourism Businesses
16th August 2008
Categories: What's New, IT & Technology
North East England accommodation and attraction businesses are highly likely to be eligible for free e-commerce system licences normally costing £495 + VAT. Businesses can take advantage over up to eight months of free system use - the licences are valid until March 2009 - although they will have to pay commission on bookings taken.
On behalf of the region's tourism businesses, One North East, the regional development agency, has purchased a significant number of e-commerce licences for the Desti.ne Frontesk system, because e-commerce is now so essential to the tourism industry.
According to this year's British Hotel Guest Survey, 66% of guests will search and book their accommodation online - so without effective websites and online booking capabilities for the region's attractions and accommodation businesses, the north east simply cannot win its fair share of overseas and domestic customers.
About the system
Desti.ne Frontdesk is provided by Eviivo, specialist makers of tourism business management software. The system allows businesses to:
- take online bookings at their own website
- take online bookings at other major websites like lastminute.com, expedia.co.uk, travelsupermarket.com
- easily and cost-effectively set up a merchant account
- take advantage of specially negotiated transaction rates
- manage bookings through an easy-to-use on-screen diary
- print customer bills and orders
- track where bookings and enquiries are coming from
- store and use customer contact details for e-marketing and customer relationship building
If you don't currently take online bookings, or your rooms or tickets cannot currently be bought through sites like www.expedia.co.uk or www.lastminute.com , then you should contact the business engagement officer for your area to obtain more information about using Desti.ne Frontdesk for your business.
- for Tees Valley contact Gemma Lawson on 01642 263109 or gemma@visitteesvalley.co.uk.
- for Tyne and Wear contact Paul Szomoru on 0191 243 8837 or
paul.szomoru@tourismtyneandwear.com - for Northumberland contact Terri Harper on 01670 794520 or
terri.harper@northumberlandtourism.co.uk - for County Durham contact David McKnight on (0191) 383 7428 or david.mcknight@cdtp.co.uk
Or look at the Desti.ne pages for more information about the system.
What's New
Profit Through Access - More Businesses Urged to Take Free Training (11/14/2008)
Send Quality Christmas e-Cards toYour Customers With Envirowise(11/10/2008)
BBC Looking For New B&B Startups(11/06/2008)
HSE Release New Guidance on Work Related Violence(10/29/2008)
Award Winners Demonstrate Business Success(10/29/2008)
Dealing with the Credit Crunch(10/28/2008)
Quality
- Award Winners Demonstrate Business Success(10/29/2008)
- National Customer Service Week 6 - 12 October 2008(09/25/2008)
- Easy Does It - New Guide to Accessibility for Tourism Businesses(09/16/2008)
- Last Chance to Book for the 'Eye-opening" Employ Ability Workshops(07/10/2008)
- Enter the 2008 North East England Tourism Awards(04/24/2008)
- Gold for NE Businesses at National Awards(04/24/2008)
- Young Person Hospitality and Tourism Customer Service Award(03/15/2008)
Latest Research
- Credit Crunch Makes Holidays 'More Important Than Ever'(10/07/2008)
- More Than 50% Now Book Online(10/07/2008)
- Investment in Tourism Paying Off For North East England(09/25/2008)
- Latest Tourism Report for North East England(08/16/2008)
Business Support
- BBC Looking For New B&B Startups(11/06/2008)
- Applications Invited for New Gerry Robinson Series(10/31/2008)
- Government Provides Support to Stop Businesses Failing(10/29/2008)
- Dealing with the Credit Crunch(10/28/2008)
- Contingency Planning and Disaster Recovery(10/28/2008)
- Barbara Follett Replaces Margaret Hodge as Minister for Tourism(10/07/2008)
- New Regulations Come Into Effect 1st October (10/01/2008)
- More Help For Businesses Wanting International Customers(09/25/2008)
- Old Inn Among the First to Recover From Floods(09/19/2008)
- Flood Support Available for Tourism Businesses(09/17/2008)
- Plans to Stop Tips Being Used to Top Up Wages(08/16/2008)
- Busineses at Risk from ID Theft(08/16/2008)
- A - Z of Business Support Topics Launched on the Toolkit(08/16/2008)
- Can Comedy Boost Tourism?(06/24/2008)
- TICs on the Move to Higher Profile Locations(06/24/2008)
- NE Economy "Healthier than ever"(06/10/2008)
- Animal Attractions May Face Higher Insurance after Bill Fails(03/26/2008)
- Tourism Businesses Warned They Must Embrace New Technology(02/22/2008)
- DVD for Food and Drink Businesses Launched(02/22/2008)
- Free Inspirational Business Workshops(02/22/2008)
- Business Benefits Pack(07/20/2007)
Business Support RSS News Feed
Finance & Funding
- Funding Helps Farm Diversify To Offer Tea Room and Bunkhouse(10/29/2008)
- Email Your Finance and Accounting Queries for Free Help(10/08/2008)
- One NorthEast welcomes RDPE Announcement(12/06/2007)
Finance & Funding RSS News Feed
Training & Skills
- Rules Relaxed Around Grants for Training For SMEs(10/29/2008)
- Online Food Allergy Training from the FSA(10/07/2008)
- New Food and Drink Waste Training for Staff at All Levels(09/26/2008)
- Profit through Access - Brand New Online Accessibility Training For Tourism Businesses(09/24/2008)
- New Area and Location Training for Northumberland Businesses(09/16/2008)
- Last Chance to Sign Up For The "Know Your North Pennines" Training(08/26/2008)
- Cost of Training Putting People Off(06/09/2008)
- Cash for Training(03/27/2008)
- Free Inspirational Business Workshops(02/22/2008)
Training & Skills RSS News Feed
Green & Local
- Send Quality Christmas e-Cards toYour Customers With Envirowise(11/10/2008)
- New Food and Drink Waste Training for Staff at All Levels(09/26/2008)
- North East Ice Cream Producer wins UK Fortnum and Mason Supreme Champion Award(09/19/2008)
- Sales Can Be Up As Much As 34% During British Food Fortnight 20 Sept - 5 Oct (09/10/2008)
- New Opportunities for Meat Producers(06/10/2008)
- New Fund to Help Businesses Go Green(06/09/2008)
- Calling All Food Producers(06/09/2008)
- Turn Out Your Lights For Earth Hour(03/29/2008)
- Less Water With Your Food and Drink(02/22/2008)
- Top Award for Lean & Green Consett Company(12/11/2007)
Marketing
- Night Tourism 'Increasingly Popular'(10/29/2008)
- Maximising Christmas and New Year Sales(10/28/2008)
- Record Visitors To Tees Barrage Boost Business in Tees Valley(10/07/2008)
- North East England Goes Underground!(06/09/2008)
- Luxury Tourism - is it for you?(11/08/2007)
IT & Technology
- Free Website and Email Workshop for Tees Valley Tourism Businesses(08/16/2008)
- Tourism Businesses Warned They Must Embrace New Technology(02/22/2008)
- Digital entries stack up(01/16/2008)
- Tourism goes Digital(05/14/2007)
Features and Articles
Raising Quality
Raising quality is on every tourism strategy in the UK. Why? Competition, competition, competition.
Translated Accommodation Symbols
"Internet Users are seven times more likely to view a website if the information is available in their own language " Download translations of accommodation symbols...
Using Research
Who comes here? Why? Where are they from? What do they want? How long do they stay? What tourism businesses are already here? How busy are they?