KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 19): Travel management and services group Parlo Bhd has launched its first business-to-consumer (B2C) programme 'Buddy Up' — the first of its kind within the travel industry — to sell its travel products and tour packages while earning commissions.

In a statement today, Parlo chief executive officer Dani Yap said with Buddy Up, both Parlo and its travel partner's customers can advocate and directly sell inventories available in Parlo's platform to fellow customers, earning commissions of up to 10% of the travel package's selling price.

Yap said this was a great opportunity for homemakers and anyone who wants to earn additional income.

"The aim of this programme is creating new channels to garner new income revenue," he added.

Yap said Buddy Up is supported by Parlo's cloud-based digital marketplace called Marketplace by Tbroker, adding that Marketplace by Tbroker has united nearly 400 conventional travel agents nationwide through Parlo's self-developed integrated distribution channels since its launch last September.

"Marketplace by Tbroker is our digital platform that caters to today's O2O (Offline to online) era. It is originally a B2B platform, however we are now opening up to B2C.

"Through this platform, our Buddy Up advocates are able to access Parlo's inventories live anytime and anywhere, 24-7, making it always available and accessible anytime," Yap said.

He added that the "advocates" will also be given access to the group's e-learning portal, which provides product information, trainings and other relevant information.

"All these information will be stored in our online marketplace," he said.

Yap said that additionally, Parlo's advocates of Buddy Up would be able to access the rest of Parlo's travel products.

He said this includes the combination of Parlo's fellow travel partners, including Klook Travel Technology Ltd, whose inventories will be available on their platform starting 2020.

At 11.13am, Parlo shares were unchanged at 12.5 sen for a market capitalisation of RM45.5 million.