House of Travel's faith in farefinder

New Zealand's biggest retail travel chain, House of Travel, says a big investment in a website farefinder tool should pay off, just as its long-haul bookings growth exceeds budget by 30 per cent.

The privately owned company yesterday launched mixandmatch.co.nz, which enables intending travellers to find the best deal to fly out with one airline, and back with another. The farefinder searches six months ahead.

Retail director Brent Thomas would not say how much the company had spent developing the tool, but it was "significant" and unique among New Zealand retail travel chains.

The company's internal IT staff had persevered last year on developing the farefinder, despite a difficult trading environment during which its annual percentage growth fell below double-digits for the first time in more than 10 years, Mr Thomas said.

As the company had predicted, long-haul travellers had postponed trips, and many planning short trips overseas had not taken them, but this year "is back to almost normal".

Mr Thomas attributed the upturn to New Zealanders' renewed economic confidence and "pent-up" demand from last year. As a result, bookings growth for travel to Britain, Europe and the United States was 30 per cent above budget.

The new farefinder tool has New Zealand call centre support.

The Travel Agents Association of New Zealand said it could not comment on any of its members. But an industry expert said the new House of Travel tool "certainly goes further than any other travel agent in New Zealand", and that the company was recognised as being at the cutting edge of technology developments in this country.

House of Travel is majority-owned by founder Chris Paulsen, with some staff holding shares. It had a growing presence in Australia, Mr Thomas said.

The number of first-day hits on the site was not available last night.

- © Fairfax NZ News