News & Stories
Columbia. US software specialist Oracle swallows Micros Systems and, with this acquisition of innovative technology solutions for the hospitality and retail industries, gains an entry into new markets.
San Francisco. In the future, the traveller can check-in, open their room door and pay online through the new App by the HotelTonight last-minute supplier. The first trials are being run in the USA.
Luxembourg. The battle for the popular ".hotel" Top-Level-Domain has been decided. The Internet address has been awarded to the industry. The decision that became public two days ago was preceded by a long-standing application procedure.
Paris. Last November, the French Review Commission for Trade Practices urged politicians to think about a way to tax online operators commissions. Now, their concern was heard by the government: the Minister of Economy, Arnaud Montebourg is pursuing booking.com. In a French TV show, Accor CEO Sébastien Bazin found clear words about OTAs.
Amsterdam. Booking.com launched an own website for its range of holiday houses and apartments.
Rockville/Munich. As the first hotel company, Choice Hotels International is beginning a partnership with TripAdvisor – namely for the new mobile "TripAdvisor Booking Feature ".
Cologne. HRS has integrated a new tool into its hotel self-administration with which the hoteliers can influence their listing – through the commissions that they themselves can now raise individually. With this, HRS follows booking.com and others.
Paris. Accor puts digital technology at the heart of the customer experience: the new "Welcoming" system is a digital-only but personalized service. It is said to be implemented until the end of 2014 and to push direct bookings.
Geneva. Google is trying to enhance its Hotel Finder by way of a license agreement with Room77 in order to catch-up with other metasearch engines. Apparently, the aim is to allow individual hotels direct bookings via the search engine as well – which is already offered by the large metasearch platforms. Now, the giant is vigorously attracting the little ones and promoting target group-oriented advertisements instead of fees.
Cologne. For as long as hotels don't have their online distribution channels under control, online travel agents will continue to play on rates - Tobias Ragge, Managing Director of HRS Group, told hospitalityInside.com in an interview in Cologne. Eight weeks after the fall of the rate parity, he continues to see HRS in a good position as partner to the hotel industry with fair value-for-money. With HRS's new profile, he also sees a positive future for the company alongside global OTAs such as Expedia and Booking.com. As ever, the 37-year-old wasn't giving any company figures away, but he did say something about cost developments in online distribution as well as how HRS would like to sharpen its profile in future – or not.