Blackpool hoteliers group to launch bookings on website to rival online giants

After a two-year search for a suitable Real Time Online Booking Solution, the organisation has signed the contract with Simpleview Europe.

The company provides websites and technology solutions for many of the countries Destination Management Organisations such as Visit Isle of Man and Visit West.

The deal will give visitors the ability to check availability and book directly from the StayBlackpool website.

It also means that hoteliers that use Eviivo, (one of StayBlackpool’s previous partners) and those that use the popular Freetobook.com Property Management Systems along with those that use “Super Control” will get commission free bookings.

StayBlackpool members must be accredited, whether through national Star Rating schemes or the cost effective “Blackpool Approved” scheme and the StayBlackpool website is set to be modified to make the most of all the changes which aims to be running in August.

Ian White from Stay Blackpool said: “StayBlackpool has provided an essential service to Blackpool Hoteliers for many years and significantly so through the pandemic. The one thing that has been a struggle has been the ability to deliver the bookings that earn our members their money.

“After two years searching, this solution offers the most flexibility and will enable all members to be connected in one way or another.

“Also being the choice of so many Destination Marketing Organisations, we know we have a great partner.

“Modern, even mildly ‘tech savy’ bookers demand the ability to choose from a short list of properties with guaranteed availability for their chosen dates. This Simpleview partnership will ensure we can meet these needs/demands and itwill give Fylde Coast accommodation providers a real alternative to the big Online Travel Agents.”

Richard Veal from Simpleview Europe said: “We are delighted to be working with Stay Blackpool on this initiative. As the country re-opens to tourism, it is more important than ever that accommodation providers are bookable online.

"Simpleview's flexible Polling Engine facilitates this and enables integration from numerous OTAs and Property Management Systems.

"In simple terms this will create a low or in some case zero commission channel for tourism businesses in Blackpool which has to be a good thing for the local economy.”

Simpleview was founded by Richard Veal and then business partner Andy Abram in 1999. Originally called New Mind, the company developed solutions for a wide range of Destination Management Organisations, working with National and Regional Tourist Boards, City Councils and Tourism Associations across Europe.

The work ranged from tourism websites to a fully featured destination management system, supporting the entire marketing and business activities of tourism destinations.

The company merged with Simpleview Inc. in 2018, a VC-backed tech company based in Tucson, Arizona.

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