Technology : Channel management
Perfecting direct
Hotel companies are finDing Divergent results on
Direct booking initiatives .
by NaTHaN GrEENHaLGH , aSSOciaTE EdiTOr
Despite the convenience metasearch now provides , consumers ’ typical online travel booking routine remains a lengthy process of checking multiple websites for the best deals . With online travel agencies leveraging their large marketing budgets to secure customers , hotel companies are competing with varying methods to increase direct bookings to avoid the large commissions OTAs demand .
“ Research shows that on average guests review more than 20 sites prior to booking ,” says Tim Peter , managing director of hotel e-commerce consultancy Tim Peter & Associates , Long Valley , New Jersey . “ The proliferation of browsing and booking channels has taught guests that , if they just keep looking , they ’ ll find a better deal somewhere .
“ For a successful channel-management mix , hotels should test , measure , learn and repeat ,” Peter continues . “ Think strategically about the channels you want to use to source guests to drive direct and repeat bookings .”
To highlight the different approaches to boost direct bookings , HOTELS spoke with six different hotel companies to examine which methods provide the best return on investment , including search engine optimization for improved organic search ; paid search campaigns ; online marketing ; and refining the booking attribution methods to best track and credit sources of traffic for conversions .
www . hotelsmag . com May 2014 HOTELS 51