Travellers given pick of rebates
Competition is heating up for travellers' dollars with Hutchison-Priceline.com offering rebates of up to HK$1,000 to boost sales of holiday packages.
The move comes after United Airlines offered travellers any additional destination in the United States for just a dollar if they fly to the US from Hong Kong for a flat fare of HK$5,800.
Virgin Atlantic will reward passengers who fly 'upper class' return from Hong Kong to London before December 31 with a free package to Phuket.
Alfredo Gangotena, chief executive of Hutchison-Priceline (Travel), said its promotion coincided with airlines having more empty seats available during the low season.
Priceline will offer a rebate of up to HK$1,000 on hotel rooms with the purchase of at least two air tickets and accommodation before October 31.
The travel Web site has lined up 25 airlines and 8,000 hotel properties in 1,300 cities.
Mr Gangotena said the move was aimed at promoting the company's newly launched air ticket and hotel packages.
He said by booking with Priceline, travellers could save up to 35 per cent compared with prices charged by traditional travel agencies.
But he emphasised that travellers would not know their airlines, flight schedules and hotels until they had made a successful bid.
'That is the tradeoff for the discounts,' he said.
