A new on-line service to reserve foreign currency for airport collection is being launched in Dublin today.

ICE (International Currency Exchange), which operates 20 foreign currency branches throughout Ireland, has launched the new ‘Click & Collect’ service for passengers travelling through Dublin, Shannon and Knock airports.

The first service of its kind in the country, ‘Click & Collect’ is primarily aimed at the estimated 1.6 million smartphone owners* and 1.2 million tablet computer owners* in Ireland.

Travellers can order up to nine major currencies, secured at a preferential exchange rate with zero percent commission, for collection at a designated ‘Click & Collect’ branch in any of the three airports. To reserve the currency, travellers print off a voucher from www.ice-ireland.ie or can show the voucher on their smartphone or tablet computer.

ICE, which employs 91 full time and part-time staff at Dublin, Shannon, Knock and Belfast airports, is also offering a free ‘buy back’ guarantee to travellers, which is unique in the Irish foreign currency marketplace.

Lisa Madden is ICE’s Country Manager for Ireland and speaking at today’s launch at Dublin Airport, she said: “With 8 out of 10 Irish adults now using the internet to browse and buy products and services, coupled with a surge in smartphone and tablet ownership, we felt that the time was right to launch this new on-line service for airline passengers.”

“We’re aiming to make business and holiday travel as hassle-free as possible. By harnessing technology, the convenience of advance ordering is now a reality for anyone with internet access,” she added.

Through their branch network, around 90% of orders are for sterling and dollars and the company is expecting a similar trend with the new complementary ‘Click & Collect’ service. The other currencies currently available through www.ice-ireland.ie include: the Australian Dollar, the Canadian Dollar, the Danish Krone, the Japanese Yen, the Norwegian Krone, the Swedish Krone and the Swiss Franc.

ICE Plc is one of the largest retail currency exchange operators in the world, with over 300 branches across 65 airports. The combined annual group turnover is over $1.8 billion. ICE Plc set up in Ireland in 2001 and recently took over two foreign exchange branches at Belfast’s International Airport.