Corporate News : HolidayCheck Group AG: subsidiary HolidayCheck launches new cruise holiday platform

Munich, Germany, 31 January 2018 - The hotel rating and holiday booking portal HolidayCheck, a wholly-owned subsidiary of HolidayCheck Group AG, is expanding its range of services in the form of a new cruise holiday platform, which is already up and running at www.holidaycheck.de/kreuzfahrten.

HolidayCheck AG is based in the Swiss town of Bottighofen and is HolidayCheck Group AG's most important subsidiary. Its portfolio focuses on holidaymakers in the German-speaking countries of Central Europe.

The company's website includes over eight million German-language hotel ratings to help users select the right accommodation for their trip.

At the same time, with more than 54,000 cruise-ship ratings and 130,000 passenger photographs, HolidayCheck is the starting point for many cruise bookings. As such, the company's decision to expand its existing package holiday and hotel booking services to incorporate a dedicated cruise booking portal is not only logical but also very important from a strategic perspective.

The HolidayCheck Group will benefit from access to an attractive market segment with high growth potential.

In 2017, around two million Germans embarked on an ocean or river cruise, spending around EUR 4 billion based on the company's own estimates. Over recent years, the sector has recorded annual double-digit percentage sales growth. Looking ahead, industry experts anticipate similar growth rates over the coming years.

At present, most cruises are still booked through high-street travel agencies, partly because of the greater need for advice due to the variety of options available. Nevertheless, the internet is establishing itself as a fast-growing sales channel thanks to advances in technology.

HolidayCheck's new service combines the technical advantages of the internet with the personal touch of a travel agency.

For example, users can study precise routes with the help of an interactive map that allows them to see straight away how much time they will spend on board and how much time on land.

Cruise-ship ratings generated by former passengers are another factor in the selection process.

The system uses an algorithm to produce individual recommendations based on a combination of ratings, prices and on-board services.

As an additional service, users will be able to call a dedicated cruise hotline to obtain personal expert advice.

On its launch date, the platform covered around 5,000 cruises offered by 75 operators.

'Our business is all about holidays. The cruise sector complements our existing portfolio very well, especially given that cruises are often bought as a supplement to a package holiday. We believe there is a great deal of potential for a user-friendly digital product in the current cruise holiday market, so it made sense for us to invest heavily in this fast-growing area. True to our vision of becoming the most holidaymaker-friendly company in the world, we want the products we offer to be as holidaymaker-friendly as possible. We think the team responsible for developing the new platform have got it just right,' explains Group CEO Georg Hesse.

About HolidayCheck Group AG:

HolidayCheck Group AG (ISIN DE005495329), Munich, Germany, is one of Europe's leading digital firms for holidaymakers. With a total workforce of around 400, HolidayCheck Group AG comprises HolidayCheck AG (which operates hotel review and travel booking portals by the same name); Drive Boo AG (which operates the car rental portal MietwagenCheck); and WebAssets B.V. (which operates the Zoover hotel review portals and the MeteoVista/WeerOnline weather portals). HolidayCheck Group's vision is to become the world's most holidaymaker-friendly company in the world.

About HolidayCheck:

If you are planning a vacation, you can find just about everything you need to know on the hotel rating and holiday booking portal HolidayCheck. At www.holidaycheck.de you will pick the right hotel (one that is perfectly matched to your needs), make contact with other holidaymakers and book the perfect trip. Our service is based on over eight million hotel ratings, our own online travel agency (certified by the German Technical Control Board - TÜV) with approximately 170 specially trained advisors and a huge range of options from over 100 tour operators and other specialist firms in the tourism sector. You will also find a wealth of useful information and inspiration in our popular travel forum and in 'Away', HolidayCheck's online magazine. HolidayCheck AG is part of the HolidayCheck Group. It was formed in 2003 and is based in the Swiss town of Bottighofen just over the border from Constance in Germany.