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Simplified Distribution: Managing room inventory across multiple Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) can be complex. Tools like a channel manager software centralize room inventory and rates, ensuring consistent updates across platforms and preventing overbookings. Identify upselling opportunities to boost revenue.
Maximize Direct Bookings to Reduce Dependence on OTAs When guests book through Online Travel Agents (OTAs) like Booking.com or Expedia, hotels often have to pay hefty commission fees, sometimes up to 20%. While OTAs help bring in new customers, relying too heavily on them can hurt your bottom line. front-page listing).
The Indian hotel no longer struggles with the aftermath of manual inventory and rate management, including overbookings and loss of staff efficiency. This activity was time-consuming for the team and opened the door to issues such as unintentional overbooking or lost revenue due to delayed rate updates.
Hotels have worked with third parties such as airlines, travel agents, online travel agents (OTAs) and the Global Distribution System (GDS) for decades. While the OTA owns the customer in the first instance, hotels can put in place systems to win over the customer and earn more revenue from each guest’s stay.
Guest actions Who makes direct bookings versus through OTAs, and how can you influence them? Hotels can leverage CRM data to drive repeat bookings, upsell experiences, and build stronger guest relationships. Channel Management System Managing multiple OTAs, your website, and other channels manually?
For example, during peak travel periods, an efficient reservations manager using a modern property management system (PMS) can swiftly allocate room blocks for group bookings or special events, maximising occupancy without overbooking. Efficiently managing OTAs and direct bookings is key to maintaining high occupancy rates.
From before they arrive and visit third-party sites or OTAs to look for accommodation or online reviews to your website, email communications and the actual stay – everything contributes towards guest experience. These communications become a fantastic opportunity to upsell your services. Clever ideas to improve guest experience. #1
Many hoteliers question if it’s worthwhile investing in a direct booking strategy or if they can solely rely on online travel agencies (OTAs) like Airbnb, Booking.com, or Trip.com to fill occupancy. Upsells and add-ons. If you rely too heavily on OTAs, you risk giving away your profit in commissions. Travelers crave experiences.
Channel Management Real-time inventory syncing across OTAs and direct booking platforms enhances accuracy and reduces overbooking. Targeted Upselling The PMS identifies guest preferences, helping staff upsell upgrades or services like spa treatments and dining packages.
Similarly, Phocuswright found that 30% of searches are on online travel agent (OTA) mobile websites, and nearly one in four on hotel mobile sites are for same-day or next-day check in. There are several drawbacks to this approach… Preventing last minute overbookings Firstly, you may overbook your rooms.
For example, if your PMS is integrated with a channel manager , the interface will ensure that when a room is booked through an OTA, your PMS updates automatically. This will save you from the hassle of manual updates and reduce the risk of overbookings or missed payments. Streamlined operations.
Collecting data, prioritising attention to detail, and optimising personalisation are all keys to perfecting upsells and ancillary services. Our constant struggle has been efficiently managing availability, inventory, task management, and online travel agencies (OTAs),” said Pawarisa.
It also prevents overbooking and keeps everything in sync, allowing guests to tailor their stay preferences and enhance their experience. A secure, seamless connection ensures that this data is shared in real time, preventing overbooking and cancellations. Reduced Dependency on OTAs Create a more balanced distribution strategy.
They minimize overbookings, streamline the reservation process, and drive revenue. Upselling An online booking system helps with upselling by presenting guests with additional services or upgrades during the reservation process. If you're still managing bookings manually, it’s time to make the switch.
And even then, manually-managed distribution is risky: any delays in updating rates and availability on a channel’s extranet could mean selling a room that isn’t available or selling at a lower rate, which can lead to overbooking and sub-optimal yield management. The same happens with a cancellation.
These channels may include the hotel’s website booking engine, online travel agencies (OTAs), the global distribution system (GDS), wholesalers, and metasearch sites. When travelers book on your website, you can upsell them to premium rooms and cross-sell onsite services and add-ons like breakfast, dining, spa, and recreation.
The use of yield management should factor in the costs of channels – from GDSs, OTAs, wholesalers, meta search sites and property websites to direct calls – and therefore how to better yield your inventory by channel, customer and more. This can involve overbooking strategies to account for last-minute cancellations or no-shows.
This can include a hotel’s website, its social media platforms, phone or email reservations, metasearch engines, or OTAs. The Billboard Effect shouldn’t be underestimated, as a study by Cornell estimates that being listed on an OTA corresponds with a 7.5-26% 26% increase in hotel reservations. 26% increase in hotel reservations.
This tool offers a full two-way sync of rates, content, and availability, allowing hoteliers to manage their listings across various online travel agencies (OTAs) efficiently. However, it’s worth noting that Eviivo sometimes discourages direct bookings, pushing instead for its own OTA, TopRooms.
Here are some of the ways in which hotel PMS solutions can aid a hotel in improving daily operations: Increase RevPAR via Direct Bookings Online travel agencies (OTAs) allow hoteliers unlimited access to a large pool of potential guests, charging a commission for every booking made through them.
The simple SiteMinder GDS user experience reduces the risk of overbooking and simplifies reservation management for hotels. Efficient upselling opportunities The GDS grants your hotel the opportunity to upsell. It offers a simple way to target high-value corporate clients through established travel management networks.
This efficiency not only reduces operational costs but also minimises the risk of overbooking or scheduling conflicts. In the case of those hotels using multiple OTAs, the right booking engine should also synchronise these details across every other channel in use.
And yet, many hotels overlook metasearch in their digital marketing strategy , missing out on opportunities to reach a broader segment of travelers, compete for business with online travel agencies (OTAs), and drive direct bookings. Much like with OTAs, the search results then display a list of available hotels and rates in the destination.
Ensure real-time OTA distribution with a Channel Manager OTAs are a significant source of bookings, and you must work with multiple OTAs to drive more indirect bookings. A channel manager automates and synchronizes your hotel's rates and inventory across all OTAs in real time.
Manage distribution channels Both platforms offer channel management capabilities, but SiteMinder’s channel manager is renowned for its extensive network of OTAs, GDS, and direct booking channels. This ensures that hotels can reach a global audience, manage inventory seamlessly, and reduce overbookings. Is Lodgify worth it?
Guest experience automation Powering improvements to the guest experience are tools that enhance guest engagement and self-service, like automated email confirmations and pre-arrival messages, upsell tools, and mobile check-in applications.
Reservations made on your website should automatically sync with your hotel property management system and across all your OTA channels so you don’t get overbookings. Once you know exactly how much revenue each OTA generates for you, you can develop a channel mix that delivers the highest ROI. No more overbookings.
Here they are - Save on commission costs: With direct bookings via your website, you don't have to pay commission for indirect bookings via OTAs. Entice more audience: Since the booking happens on your website, you can roll out special offers and upsell relevant services to attract more guests.
They can work with a hotel channel manager to ensure real-time distribution of rates and inventories across OTAs for better visibility, more sales, and zero overbookings. They will also leverage these technologies to reach their target audiences and upsell/cross-sell other products/amenities.
Also, gone are the days of selling the majority of your rooms through OTAs. Making sure you get your fair share of direct bookings allows you to compete with OTAs and avoiding to pay the hefty commissions on those bookings. Bring customers to your website: thinking multi-channel here is important.
Here are a few essential integrations: Channel Manager: With a two-way seamless connectivity, it helps hotels with real-time update of rates and inventories across OTAs and metasearch engines. It improves a hotel's online visibility and sales while eliminating overbooking.
Overbooking: Though counterintuitive, it helps mitigate revenue loss due to last-minute cancellations or no-shows. Channel Management: Ensures profitable utilization of distribution channels, such as online travel agencies (OTAs), direct bookings, and travel agents.
For example, if a hotel notices a spike in no-shows on weekends during peak season, they can adjust their staffing or overbooking strategy. Next, examine the booking channels and sources of no-shows – are they coming from OTAs, direct bookings, or elsewhere? It’s like detective work, but with spreadsheets.
It can also integrate with online travel agencies (OTAs) and social media platforms, helping you increase your reach and visibility Moreover, emphasizing your unique selling proposition (USP), whether it's an eco-friendly atmosphere or a private retreat, can help you stand out from competitors.
From the large OTAs and GDSs to individual retail travel agents, you’ll be able to instantly provide real-time booking information to your agents that will help drive bookings. A PMS also significantly reduces the risk of overbooking your rooms, directly improving the guest experience at your property. Manage your revenue.
Also, gone are the days of selling the majority of your rooms through OTAs. Making sure you get your fair share of direct bookings allows you to compete with OTAs and avoiding to pay the hefty commissions on those bookings. Bring customers to your website: thinking multi-channel here is important.
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