Hotel vs. OTA Parity Agreements: Does It Have to be a Battle?
-If a love-hate relationship exists in the hospitality industry, it’s between hotels and online travel agencies (OTAs) such as Expedia, Orbitz and Priceline, among many others. On one hand, OTAs extract sizable commissions, which understandably grate on the hotels that must pay them. On the other, they also produce an enormous amount of bookings, which hotels covet.…
Distribution Strategies – Emerging Challenges for Revenue Managers
-Smart operators recognize that that the role of revenue management is critical to overall financial results, not just top-line performance. In addition to being responsible for the functional aspects of forecasting, pricing and inventory management, today’s revenue management professional is often accountable for managing the distribution efforts for their respective organizations. This poses some challenges, and also…
5 Ways to Entice Travelers to Book Direct
-As we all know, Expedia, Priceline, Hotwire and other online travel agencies (OTAs) are extremely valuable resources for keeping rooms filled. But how do hotel operators keep them from cannibalizing business from customers that might have booked direct in the first place? This is one question I hear all of the time from companies that call me…
Internet Marketing Made Simple
-What you don’t know can hurt you. This is especially true for revenue managers trying to navigate the fast-paced world of Internet marketing. Here’s a guide. Knowledge is power, so it stands to reason that what you don’t know can hurt you (or at least your revenue). When it comes to the fast-paced world of Internet marketing,…
Who Are My ‘True’ Hotel Competitors?
-Who are my “true” competitors? This million-dollar question is often a central discussion point in boardrooms, during the development of annual sales and marketing plans, in the creation of promotional campaigns and during weekly revenue strategy meetings. From quiet philosophical conversations to heated debates, this question remains a point of contention. However, I believe it’s simply a…
