WebBeds and 3 Asian Wholesalers Form First Bedbank Coalition to Share Supply

Hotel chains and airlines have formed alliances, why not bedbanks? The first bedbank alliance by four Asian players may be the first of its kind, but what's more important is whether it can work. After all, if it looks so logical and easy, why didn't anyone do it sooner?

Four Asian travel wholesalers, WebBeds Asia-Pacific, Hotelpass Global Korea, Westminster Travel Hong Kong, and AntaVaya in Indonesia, have formed what may be an industry-first bedbanks alliance, similar to those formed for hotels and airlines.

Called OPP, for opportunity, they want to tap the "Asian Century opportunity," the idea being Asian travel markets are continuing to grow at spell-binding rates and hotels want to reach these Asian travelers, yet wholesale distribution remains highly fragmented.

"We know from speaking to our hotel partners that one of their major goals is to achieve more widespread distribution [of their rooms] more effectively, including penetration into Asia's emerging markets. This coalition of highly respected market leaders, which creates an unprecedented regional force, will enable this," said Larry Lo, CEO of Westminster Travel.