The goal of OTA1s has always been a one stop shop. Whatever ChatGPT-based travel planning toolkits they will have access to - Brand.com will also have, so the question is as it always has been, how to get Brand.com to stand out and entice guests enough to book directly. AI can have its shining moment here as well.
Avantio, global leader in vacation rental management solutions, is pleased to announce its exclusive client event to be held on October 4, 5 and 6 in Valencia, Spain.
AI can certainly do a lot of things and holds great promises at various levels in business and tourism. But let's not kid ourselves - OTAs are way ahead of the game not only in providing great platforms to book on - UX, imagery, etc.
I spoke at a conference in Norway last week and had the privilege of attending a keynote by Terry Jones. He said something that really resonated with me: "AI is the new UI." In traditional UI, the focus is primarily on how users interact with a system.
Once upon a time, a very chatty donkey agreed to swamp-sit for Shrek. Before he hits the road again, Donkey is inviting guests near and far, far away to sleep like an ogre in Shrek’s Swamp, only on Airbnb.
Travelodge, the UK’s first budget hotel brand, today launches a new multi-million pound integrated advertising campaign, which celebrates the company’s role as the ultimate enabler of the great value getaway - helping millions of people to get out there and do their thing, whether that is for business or leisure, at a great price.
Data from SiteMinder, the world’s leading open hotel commerce platform, reveals that hotel bookings for September in Spain are off to their strongest start in five years. SiteMinder’s World Hotel Index shows that hotel bookings in Spain are currently at 116.3% of 2019 volumes – 10.8% higher than the global average. Among neighbouring countries, only Portugal is outpacing Spain’s momentum, with hotel booking volumes that are 127.7% of 2019 levels.
As corporate travel returns, hoteliers are re-examining their strategies to target and win this share of business. A strong distribution mix is essential to reach travelers and travel agents on the channels where they actively shop and book.
Do the OTAs generate demand in hospitality? Absolutely. But are they the biggest driver in the decision-making process? That would be a different question altogether...
In my view, people who claim that the OTAs generate travel demand completely ignore the complexity of the Digital Customer Journey and its five phases Dreaming, Planning, Booking, Experiencing and Sharing/Retention. According to them, the customer Journey consists of a very simplistic "cast the hook" (marketing) and "catch the fish" (booking).
In May 2023, during their annual Expedia Connect event in Seattle, Expedia shared recent insights from this latest "Path to purchase" report, due for publication this summer. At the inspiration stage, for example, we see that OTAs are NOT the main online source.
Katanox, the travel accommodation distribution and fintech platform, announced today its partnership with leading Budget Hotel Brand Premier Inn.
Duetto, the hospitality industry’s #1 Revenue Management Software (RMS), has seen rapid expansion in Italy’s hotel sector, signing such notable brands as Baglioni Hotels & Resorts, Gruppo UNA, and Mangia's all within the last 12 months.
The Greek word Philoxenia, literally translated as a “friend to a stranger,” is widely perceived to be synonymous to hospitality.
Booking.com creates a large positive impact in the Netherlands. This is the finding of a new study by consultancy KPMG based on its True Value methodology. This research project provides a holistic assessment of Booking.com’s economic, social and environmental impact in the Netherlands.
IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hospitality companies, has signed Holiday Inn Express Sofia Airport in partnership with Hotel Express Sofia Airport OOD, which further expands the company’s European estate, following a recent flurry of signings across a number of brands.
A new analysis by SiteMinder, the world’s leading open hotel commerce platform, highlights the degree to which small German accommodation providers have increased their room rates over the past four years. While prices for all German accommodation providers rose by seven per cent between 2019 to 2022, prices among those with 20 rooms or less grew 22 per cent in the same period.
The Landmark London is a 5-star, luxury hotel located in downtown London. It’s known for its beautiful glass-covered atrium and lush palm trees — which are well documented by both travelers and locals on Instagram and travel review sites. Guests of the hotel experience quintessential London charm in the sumptuous surroundings of this magnificent Grande Dame hotel. Guests find luxury, sophistication, and serenity within the walls of this enchanting hotel. It’s a true oasis from the hustle and bustle of London.
Order pizza from your local restaurant and you'll likely tip on delivery. Use a food delivery service and you'll be given the choice to tip when ordering or on delivery. These examples cement a social norm: as a consumer, you have the choice to recognise - and reward - the service a person has provided to you.
No. They shouldn't. Tips are things we pay to a person who has helped us. In Europe it is to someone who has helped us beyond the usual. In the US it seems like the tip has replaced the salary. Asking for tips like this is like the resort fees, the green fees and all the other random fees that companies are adding in a way to give a false appearance of a lower price.
So hang on, the tip goes to hopper for making the booking and then charging commission to hotels on the other hand? Sounds to me like being married and having an affair same time.The Tip should go to the person providing the service.
It’s the travel trend that never quite took off. Ever since American trader Ben Hockett made millions during the 2008 global financial crisis by trading online from an Exmouth pub, travel marketers have tried to sell the concept of mixing holidays with work.
The economy segment is the fastest-growing segment in the European hotel industry. To meet the demands of a new generation of hotel guests, Scandic will open its first hotel under its new Scandic Go brand, a smart, sustainable hotel concept at a good price. Scandic Go aims to be the market leader in the economy segment in the Nordic countries and will use the brand to increase its pace of expansion outside the region. The first Scandic Go hotel will open at the beginning of September in Stockholm.