WEB, HWT

[bigdog]

ASX ANN where WEB asked to explain SP increase yesterday.

WEB advised that no information not announced that would explain SP increase.

WEB is now trading with SP at 0.39 on good volume

 

[bigdog]

The ann today traveltech attached is a 2005 ANN

Website article date defaulted to todays date

My apologies

 

[bigdog]

WEB looking Ok at Friday finish at .385

 

[bigdog]

Travel agents face
Melissa Maugeri
October 28, 2006 12:00am
http://www.news.com.au/sundaymail/story/0,,20655654-3122,00.html

EXTRACT from this article related to Webjet
According to Richard Noon, chief executive of online group Webjet, some in the industry haven't realised their role has changed.

Mr Noon foresees a huge shift for agents as consumers access more and more information about their travel destinations via the internet.

Despite many agents predicting customers will limit online direct bookings to domestic flights, Mr Noon says Webjet had seen a bigger growth in its international bookings.

"There's a generational change under way (with travellers), 25 per cent of transactions are done online in the travel sector, in the US it's 35 per cent," he says.

Mr Noon predicts it could growth to more than 50 per cent in the next five years.

"What the internet is not good at is lifting the veil on the international flight combinations available," Mr Noon concedes.

And it is the complexity involved in travel that could prove a limitation for the internet, even when its capabilities expand.

FULL ARTICLE:
AMID sustained travel industry rationalisations, takeovers and the growing impact of the internet, pundits are predicting dramatic changes in the way travel agents operate.

This week's $1.6 billion bid by the founders of travel agency group Flight Centre to privatise the company has put the spotlight on the challenges the industry is facing.

But will slashed airline commissions and increasing online transactions mark the death of the traditional travel agent?

Industry insiders are divided about how dramatically the role of the travel agent will evolve into the next decade, but all agree agents have to change tactics.

Lucrative corporate markets and niche travel areas are being sought after as the margins in mass discount trade, especially in the once bread-and-butter airline ticketing, are squeezed.

According to Richard Noon, chief executive of online group Webjet, some in the industry haven't realised their role has changed.

Mr Noon foresees a huge shift for agents as consumers access more and more information about their travel destinations via the internet.

Despite many agents predicting customers will limit online direct bookings to domestic flights, Mr Noon says Webjet had seen a bigger growth in its international bookings.

"There's a generational change under way (with travellers), 25 per cent of transactions are done online in the travel sector, in the US it's 35 per cent," he says.

Mr Noon predicts it could growth to more than 50 per cent in the next five years.

"What the internet is not good at is lifting the veil on the international flight combinations available," Mr Noon concedes.

And it is the complexity involved in travel that could prove a limitation for the internet, even when its capabilities expand.

Australian Federation of Travel Agents spokesman Bob Steel, who has worked in the industry 25 years, expects fee-for-service to become more common as agencies look for different income streams.

"There's been a decline in upfront commissions from airlines but more people are paying agents for the time they spend advising clients," Mr Steel says.

And he thinks the impacts of the internet on travel agencies may have been overblown in some quarters.

"It is more of a tool for agents to use with their expertise to advise clients," Mr Steel says.

"A lot of customers now come into stores after they have browsed on the net and then want help in how to make it work."

Travel agent fees for services presently vary from a percentage of a total trip cost to $50-$100 per hour for service.

Independent travel agent Sandra Skelton has seen reductions in airline commissions of about 44 per cent during the past two years. There is no commission on domestic bookings.

But she says corporate travellers, who make up about 70 per cent of Skelton Travel's business, are happy to pay for good service.

"They don't have the time to work it out themselves," Ms Skelton says of her inner suburban customers.

She says her agency focuses on the high end leisure market where internet competition is not much of an issue.

"Our clients want what you can't Google," Ms Skelton says.

"Even the corporates want something different, a boutique hotel geared to business."

She also expects fee-for-service to continue to expand in the industry.

"We realise our expertise and knowledge are valuable and worth paying for," Ms Skelton says. "People don't mind paying for something if they are getting good value and peace of mind."

Flight Centre managing director Graham Turner says he has seen margins squeezed tightly at the discount end of the Australian travel market.

But even he sees the future for his company in providing a better experience for the customer.

At the Flight Centre annual general meeting this week, he spoke about shops of the future that would be interactive for customers and highlight the range of product on the market.

He says he plans to expand the company's internet presence but sees this as more as a service for customers who would come in-store for their more complicated travel plans.

 

[bigdog]

WEB ANN today potentail great news

ANN today potentail great news

http://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20061102/pdf/3zd26frw9gxjl.pdf

Intended to pay pay maident 0.5 cent dividend in Oct 2007 - gets rid of cash and improves ratios suggested in prior note

SMH today reported:
Webjet looking at potential acquisitions
November 2, 2006 - 11:29AM
http://www.smh.com.au/news/Business...al-acquisitions/2006/11/02/1162339960965.html

Online travel agency Webjet says it's looking at potential acquisitions and expects opportunities will arise before the end of this year.

Webjet said it was examining the possibility of strategic acquisitions which would allow it to expand its business.

"A number of possibilities are under close examination both internally and in conjunction with our external professional advisors," Webjet said in a statement ahead of its annual general meeting.

"At this juncture no definitive proposition has been determined but in view of the major industry consolidation which has taken place over the last 12 months, the board considers that there is a significant possibility that appropriate opportunities will arise before the end of the financial year 30 June 2007."

Webjet said if it doesn't make any acquisitions it intends to announced a buyback of five per cent, or $5 million to $7 million, of its issued capital.

The company also said it expects to pay its first annual dividend, of half a cent per share, in the 2006/07 year.

 

[bigdog]

Webjet's plans to profit from your travel information
Email Print Normal font Large font BEVERLEY HEAD
November 7, 2006
TheAge

In APRIL next year Webjet will launch PlanIt, an online service for travellers. Chief executive David Clarke says the company has invested about $1 million developing the service and the same again on marketing.

PlanIt will allow travellers to store their travel budget, share their travel plans with friends online, upload photographs, link to Google Earth and all of Webjet's travel and booking services. It will also provide TravelVault, a secure and encrypted environment where users can store personal information such as passport numbers and spectacle or medical prescriptions, which they could access when overseas and download on to a memory stick or portable storage.

For the week of October 7 it was the eighth most popular travel site in Australia and, according to the BRW Fast 100, its 131 per cent turnover growth makes it the country's 20th-fastest growing business.


Full article:

http://www.theage.com.au/news/bizte...vel-information/2006/11/06/1162661616348.html

 

[bigdog]

Nice profit and probably the reason for SP drop from 38 to 36.5 cents yesterday

Nov 21 AXS ANN - WEB issues 2,000,000 @ 0.17493 = $349,860 to Managing
Director (David Clark) pursuant to ‘Resolution 4’ approved at Annual General Meeting held 10th November 2004.

Nov 24 ASX ANN - David Clark sells 1,938,226 (ord. shares) for $731,486

No. of securities held after change 161,774 shares and 4,000,000 options

I hold WEB

 

[bigdog]

WEB Webjet ASX ann today

WEB 10:52 AM Growth Continues

http://www.asx.com.au/asx/statistics/showAnnouncementPDF.do?idsID=00682602

WEBJET GROWTH CONTINUES
Webjet today announced Total Transaction Value (TTV) of $56.7m for the quarter ended 31 December 2006 compared with $37.7m for the same quarter last year, an increase of 50%.

TTV for the six months to 31 December totalled $116.9m compared with $76.9m for the same six months last year, an increase of 52%. Commenting Webjet Managing Director David Clarke said, “We are particularly pleased with the continued growth and clear increase in market footprint.”

I hold WEB