News & views

29 October 2009

First Rate Exchange Services appointed to provide online currency service for Virgin Holidays

First Rate Exchange Services (First Rate) has announced its appointment as the new provider behind Virgin Holidays online travel money services.

The online currency service offers Virgin Holiday’s customers access to a great value foreign exchange service, which includes currency advice and secure online payment. First Rate will provide the fully integrated service for Virgin Holidays, which will offer customers the choice of over 70 foreign currencies and travellers cheques which can be ordered online for delivery the next day and all at 0% commission.

Gordon Gourlay, Managing Director, First Rate said: “We’re delighted that Virgin Holidays has appointed First Rate to provide their online travel money service, allowing their customers to purchase travel cash from an unrivalled range of foreign currencies, from US dollars to Malaysian ringgits, at the same time as booking their holiday. ”

Virgin Holidays Spokesperson Marco Rocha, Commercial Manager said: “Our appointment of First Rate Exchange Services allows us to provide our customers with easy access, combined with quick and convenient delivery to the widest range of great value 0% commission currencies.”

First Rate’s appointment as the provider behind Virgin Holidays new online foreign currency offer confirms its position as the market leader in foreign exchange services.  First Rate’s other clients include The Post Office®, Abbey, easyJet and P&O Ferries.

Notes to Editors:

The Travel Money Online service allows customers to order and pay online for over 70 currencies, however next business day delivery cannot be guaranteed for less mainstream currencies.

About First Rate Foreign Exchange Services:

First Rate is the UK’s leading provider of foreign currency services supplying over 11,500 retail outlets with a foreign currency service. It is the UK’s biggest foreign currency notes supplier and Europe’s major provider of traveller’s cheques and in the top five globally. First Rate sources currency through its associate business unit Bank of Ireland First Currency Services, one of the world’s leading wholesale currency operations.

First Rate can provide UK retailers and businesses with the following foreign currency services:

• Travel Money Online – a service enabling the ordering of foreign currency notes and traveller’s cheques securely via First Rate’s white label internet application
• Bulk provision of currency for currency retailers
• End-to-end consumer order processing – totally outsourced, white label currency solutions for phone, internet or retail outlet order placement

To find out more visit www.firstrate.co.uk.

About Virgin Holidays:

Virgin Holidays is the UK’s leading Worldwide Holiday Company with adventures to the USA, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle and Far East, the Indian Ocean and Australasia.  Prices start from £859 for a Thailand adventure or from £699 for a seven night Mickey break Stateside.

To find out more visit www.virginholidays.com

 

For further information, please contact:

Four Countries Communications
Ruth Barker
Tel: 0207 749 9219
Mobile: 07814 571128
Email: ruth@fourcountries.co.uk

Bank of Ireland UK Financial Services
Sandra Grandison
Tel: 0203 201 6509
Mobile: 07912 298013
Email: sandra.grandison@boiuk.com

First Rate Exchange Services Ltd is registered in the UK and Supervised by HM Revenue & Customs for Money Service Business (MSB): License number 12133160. First Rate is a joint venture between The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland (Registered in Ireland and passported into the UK for regulatory purposes) and the Post Office^® Ltd. The Bank of Ireland is authorised by the Irish Financial Regulator and the Financial Services Authority for the conduct of business in the UK. Bank of Ireland First Currency Services is a division of The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland.