News & Stories
Augsburg. For a week, it is presumably not only European hoteliers who are once again thinking about new forces in hotel distribution. But, the news of the foundation of the online hotel portal, Room Key, in the USA only briefly provided for an optimistic "wow". After one week, European hoteliers are viewing the company considerably more soberly. Then feelings ran high, particularly in the German market, when the online travel agent from Cologne, HRS, flexed their muscles: They tossed other distributors out of the running through their alliance with Amadeus while at the same time, confronted their current 250,000 hotel partners with an additional two percent commission. HRS has flexed their muscles - and the brand-new market player, justbook, that since Monday, also markets hotel offers via Apps was also permitted to feel this promptly. Reactions from the hotel industry on the latest events in distribution.
Madrid/Cologne. The dam is bursting in hotel distribution: For the first time in history, a global distribution system has formed a direct alliance with an online travel agent. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon in Frankfurt, Amadeus and HRS announced a strategic alliance. The move will involve HRS linking the 250,000 hotel in its database with Amadeus; 50,000 of these are individual hotels which have up to now only been bookable through HRS. Now, the hotels will also be open for booking by Amadeus travel agents and corporate clients. At first glance, GDS seems to benefit more than HRS, as up to now Amadeus has counted only 110,000 hotels in its reservation system. Yet both sides are extremely satisfied with the deal. The new additional distribution channel requires no extra commission from HRS-affiliated hoteliers. Yet on Tuesday evening, in a separate release, HRS announced that commissions will rise effective from March 1, 2012 - also for hotel.de and tiscover.
Dallas. Some media are already giving the new Room Key reservation platform dramatic significance to a certain degree. They are stylizing the new reservation portal announced by six major US chains one week ago to be a market and power factor, while it is not even running properly. In an interview with hospitalityInside.com last Monday, Stephany Verstraete, Chief Marketing Officer Room Key, talked about extremely high interest other hotel groups were showing – particularly from the US and Western Europe. hospitalityInside's survey among nameable chains and distribution experts across the industry, however, barely gives reason for enthusiasm. When it comes to giving decisive information, Room Key proves to be very reserved.
Dallas. Six of the world’s leading hotel companies - Choice, Hilton, Hyatt, InterContinental, Marriott, and Wyndham - announced on Wednesday the launch of Room Key, an innovative new online hotel search engine. Yesterday, the first external partner signed the contract: Best Western Hotels adds another 4,000 hotels to the pool. Until the middle of 2012, the site is expected to list 80,000 hotels. Is this the answer to Google?
Villach/Vienna. 77% of guests use online media if they place a holiday inquiry and 76% book through online media. This has proved by a survey of more than 350 resorts in Austria, South Germany and South Tirol. Along with this, the method of the reservations is particularly interesting.
Munich. Social media specialist TrustYou announced the introduction of a new free tool for hotels on Wednesday. In future, hotels will be able to include their own internal satisfaction surveys online - in addition to online ratings – after they have been compiled by TrustYou. The result is to combine separate content even further in order to generate higher sales in the hotel. hospitalityInside.com met with TrustYou founder Benjamin Jost to learn more about the challenges posed by the semantic search.
Hamburg. Google+ launches. Within the shortest time, the social network has maneuvered itself into second place behind the market leader Facebook - even if with some distance. Now, a study allows users to compare both competition networks with each other.
Menlo park. For the next 20 years, Facebook must allow an authority of the US government to review it. T-Online, among others, reported yesterday. The US Federal Trade Commission, the FTC, is responsible for consumer protection
Cologne. Yesterday, HRS began its "Bargain Voucher", but in contrast to Groupon & Co, the new "HRS Deals" should be no platform for leftovers. The Park Inn Berlin began the kick-off.
Bottighofen. As of immediately, hotels which have attempted to manipulate their ratings on HolidayCheck or have these manipulated will be identified by a red alarm sign: "Warning Manipulated Ratings" will stand above the hotel name as a warning to others.