BOWLER AIMS TO CHALLENGE 'COSY' TRAVEL MARKET - Gillian Bowler has this morning opened a new chapter in what is turning out to be a very adventurous Irish business career. The original founder of Budget Travel is back with a new travel business called ClickandGo.com. It is setting out to challenge what it is calling a 'cosy market' dominated by two big players: TUI, which owns Thomson, and Thomas Cook.
Ms Bowler also chairs the board of Irish Life & Permanent. She said she would not spend 'an hour less' at IL&P as a result of the new business, and her commitment to the institution would not diminish.
Ms Bowler said the old model of the travel industry was 'broken', and tour operators could not be run on charter flights anymore. She said the new company would allow people to build their own packages, though it would be recommending certain hotels and apartment blocks.
She said she would have 40% of the new company, with Bob Haugh of the Travel Department also having 40%.
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CURRENCIES - The euro is worth $1.2358, stronger than it was yesterday, and 84.7p sterling.
